


Time Between

by Yue_Twili00



Series: Sun and Moon: Change of Fate [2]
Category: Kingdom Hearts (Video Games)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Ansem the Wise | DiZ (Kingdom Hearts) - Freeform, Axel (Kingdom Hearts) cameo, Barret Wallace (Final Fantasy VII) - Freeform, Changes Are Starting, Chirithy - Freeform, Elmyra Gainsbourough (Final Fantas 7), Final Fantasy VII cameos, Final Fantasy characters cameos, Gen, Isa's Chirithy, Keyblade Wielder!Isa, Keyblade Wielder!Lea, Kiryu 'Joshua' Yoshiya Cameo, Lea's Chirithy, Meow Wow, My Headcannons, Naminé (Kingdom Hearts) - Freeform, Original Kingdom Hearts Characters, Red XIII | Nanaki (Final Fantasy 7), Roxas (Kingdom Hearts) cameo, Slice of Life near the end, Vanitas (Kingdom Hearts) - Freeform, Vanitas Being an Asshole (Kingdom Hearts), Yen Sid (Kingdom Hearts) - Freeform, Young Xehanort (Kingdom Hearts) - Freeform, more characters on the way
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-05
Updated: 2020-09-02
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:16:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 58,350
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25725733
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yue_Twili00/pseuds/Yue_Twili00
Summary: (Cross Post on FF.Net)After escaping the Dark Realm, the trio arrive to the Mysterious Tower to begin training. However, the time they have is limited. And unfortunately, that limited time they got is filled with not just revelations...but also it's dangers as well.(Leading up to Chain of Memories)
Relationships: Aqua & Isa & Lea (Kingdom Hearts), Isa & Lea (Kingdom Hearts)
Series: Sun and Moon: Change of Fate [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1731481
Comments: 2
Kudos: 16





	1. The Tower

**Author's Note:**

> Here we are, the first chapter of the bridge between Act 1 and Act 2. These chapters are already pre-written but there will be a couple of edits here and there. Keep in mind that I would (hopefully) update this story once per week. I'd like to have some people enjoy it for a while until then.
> 
> This will have spoilers if you hadn't played or had gotten started on the Kingdom Hearts series.
> 
> I don't own any of the characters from any series, excluding my own and this timeline. So...yeah.
> 
> Enjoy.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arriving at the Tower, the boys meet an old Master. The old Master is informed of what really happened. 
> 
> A mission is soon set. But they have a very limited time...

The Lanes Between. The ancient passageways used by Keyblade users back then, to travel between worlds. While it wasn’t used as much before, considering certain events, the Lanes had…changed.

Instead of just empty space with ‘paths’ leading to a world or two…it was like a large, grand ocean. This is perhaps the result of the walls keeping the worlds separated being destroyed nine years prior. With there being a change…there might be new dangers.

_-_

Within his tower, Yen Sid sat at his desk. Contemplating recent events. The door to darkness has been sealed. That is good. Yet, Mickey is trapped in the dark realm. It would take time for him to escape from there. IF there is a means to escape…

…But, he was also thinking about the presence of three hearts. Two of which are young, that had vanished nine years ago, but had returned. Hearts stronger than ever…and with particular gifts.

The third…is something he hadn’t felt in a long while…

He raised his head. “…I must not make assumptions. I have to see with my own eyes…if it is her, or not,” he said to himself.

He couldn’t keep his hope up. Even though he would want to.

_-_

In the space before Radian Garden…a portal manifested. Two ‘ships’ shot out, before they stopped. A pair of ‘bubbles’ of light surrounds the two vehicles, protecting the occupants within.

“Whoa!” Lea breathed out, looking around. “It’s practically space!”

Aqua looked around. Something feels…different. She hummed. “Based on what I seen…the Lanes Between seem to be in the midst of reforming by Masters like me. Now that the worlds are restored…” She looked at the two, watching them look around in awe.

It’s the very first time they had seen anything like it.

“…It’s…beautiful,” Isa breathed out.

She gave a soft smile. She remembered the first time she set her eyes on the Lanes Between. The same wonder she felt. _‘I guess no matter the age, you can still be amazed by something,’_ she thought. She let them enjoy the view for a while, they’ll be done soon.

Soon enough, they looked to her. “So…where do you think the Tower’s located?” Lea asked her.

“Like I mentioned, I don’t know,” Aqua responded. “But the world itself can usually be seen closer to where a threat is.” She thought back, seeing it near Radiant Garden ten years aback. “I remembered at one point that it was originally near Radiant Garden and another cluster of worlds.”

“Huh. Considering the Unversed, I guess that made sense,” Lea remarked as Isa looked around.

“…It doesn’t look like it’s near here,” he reported. “But let’s take a look around.”

“Right, we gotta start somewhere,” Lea agreed as he looked around. “Hm…you know, I think we could take the time to get used to our rides. That okay, Aqua?”

She hummed. “Well, all right, but be careful,” she warned them, “It might be possible that we could end up engaging with Heartless out there.”

Noting that, Lea groaned, slumping. “Oh great…it can’t be a pleasure flight, could it?” He huffed. “Well, let’s get going then.”

“Well, let’s hope it would be,” Isa said, trying to be optimistic. “But…let’s be cautious.”

“I know, I know,” Lea said before the two turned and flew off.

For the most part, the flight was enjoyable…but, they knew better than to let down their guard at this point. Even though they could never get enough of the sight before them.

During their flight, Lea is reminded of something. “Oh yeah. Didn’t Mickey say that we need to upgrade and maintain our Keyblades?” He looked over at the two. “How do we do that exactly?”

Isa hummed. “I dunno. I’m sure Yen Sid could tell us.”

“He’s right about that,” Aqua responded. “I do remember that we could do that by finding materials from defeating certain things…to be honest, the three of us never thought about doing it, since there were no Heartless. But considering new circumstances…Yen Sid could know more than I could.”

“Well, I guess that made sense,” Lea figured. “Not like you’d need to get materials to strengthen your Keyblade.” He looked up. “But considering a few things, we’ll need to figure out on what exactly we need, so we don’t go around blindly to find stuff we don’t actually need. I’d rather not have mine break, thanks.”

“And you were making an earlier complaint about it,” Isa teased him.

“Well, that was before I was reminded, man,” Lea defended himself.

“Right.”

The two continued to fly before they soon spot something. “Hey…is that…?” Lea began, trying to lean forward a bit. Aqua had to lean back to prevent them from being flipped.

Up ahead, it looked to be…a tower. It isn’t straight, but not completely crooked either. The top looks like a cone, with a waxing crescent moon on it and some stars.

“That’s it,” Aqua announced. “The Mysterious Tower.”

“So that’s our destination? About time. Let’s land.” He opened the way with his Glider before he flew through.

Isa shook his head but smiling before he soon followed after his friend.

_-_

A portal formed near the island. The two guided their Gliders to the ‘land’, floating over it before they stepped off. The ‘bubbles’ of light disappeared around them once they set foot on land. The Keyblades turned back into their blade shapes, before the boys dismissed them. They looked up at the tower. “So, we’ll find him here?” Lea asked.

Aqua nodded. “That’s right. He should be at the top.”

The two took the time to look around. It’s a small island, with a few plants, like bushes and shrubs about, and a few trees. The sky around the ‘island’ is like they’re in a twilit sky, with thousands of stars above them.

…

Well, they can check it out later.

Lea ran his fingers through his hair. “We’re about to meet an old, retired Master of the Keyblade, huh?” Lea asked. He lowered his arm. “Well…let’s get this over with.”

He heads up the stairs and pulls open the door. Aqua and Isa followed him inside.

…And the boys stared up, dumbfounded at how there’s a long staircase before them. “…Magic, right?” Isa asked.

“Yup.”

“Figures.”

Aqua stepped forward. “Let’s go, you two.”

“Fine,” Lea sighed as Isa nodded before they walked up the stairs.

_-_

As they walked up the stairs, the boys are just…startled. Of how big this tower is on the inside. If they hadn’t seen magic firsthand or gone through strange scenarios within the realm of darkness, they would be questioning it all, trying to make sense out of it.

Funny of how one’s experience can change how you think…

The climb to the top is _long_. Pretty long.

“Do you think he would be expecting us?” Lea asked them at one point.

“I wouldn’t be surprised,” Aqua responded. “He’s…sort of a watcher. Though he did teach Mickey how to use the Keyblade, he observes what happens.”

“…So you’d think he could have stopped Xehanort,” Isa said. “Or, he was just unable to interfere?”

Aqua hummed. That is a good point. Yen Sid could have stopped this before it happened. Was there…a certain restriction to be able to ‘observe’ things? Forced to never interfere…unless he has to? Hm. “…I’m not entirely sure,” she admitted. “He could have stopped all of this, could he? Unless all he could do is watch now.”

“So why teach Mickey then?” Lea asked her, looking back.

“Maybe he needed a successor,” Isa figured, thinking. “Someone to help protect the worlds.”

“Maybe,” Aqua responded. “You know, I never exactly questioned it. It probably wouldn’t even cross my mind.”

“If you were the ‘old’ you?” Lea asked.

“Yes.”

Soon enough, they came upon a door that has the symbol of a sorcerer’s cap.

The two looked up at it. They looked at each other, and Aqua. Lea approached the door. But instead of knocking, he just opened the door a crack. He peeks inside, looking around. The room seems to be a loft. An enormous desk is in the center of the room, framed by uniquely shaped windows. Lea could notice that there are nooks filled with stuff. He couldn’t see much of the full room yet, with how he’s positioned.

“…Hello?” Lea cautiously called out.

“Please, come in,” a man’s voice responded.

He jumped at the voice, not expecting it. He hesitated…before he opens it all the way, for the three to look inside. Standing before the window shaped like a crescent moon, is a tall figure. There’s a third window, framing the desk. To the right of Lea is another door.

They entered the room, the man turning to them. Upon seeing Aqua, who entered first, his eyes lit up. The three stood before the desk, with Aqua bowing. “Master Yen Sid, it’s been a long time. 10 years to be exact.”

The two boys looked over at the man. He wore a blue robe, mostly, and a long, grey beard. He wore a sorcerer’s hat on top, adored with yellow stars and a waxing crescent moon.

“…That it has,” the man said, getting their attention. “I am…relieved to see you back in one piece, Aqua.” He soon heads over to the tall, imposing chair, sitting down in it. “But if I may ask, what has happened to you that had led to your disappearance?”

Aqua lowered her head. “It was a trap by Xehanort,” She answered, with Yen Sid’s eyes widening a little. “In a sympathy for trying to help Terra, Xehanort tricked me to being entrapped in the realm of darkness. I was…trapped there, for ten years. But I wasn’t alone. A year after I ‘fell’,” she gestured to the boys, “these two, Lea and Isa of Radiant Garden, escaped with their hearts and lives to the realm of darkness.”

The man regarded the two, with Lea and Isa intimidated. Noting those, he waved his hands. “At ease, you two.”

Lea’s shoulder’s slumped as the two relaxed.

“As I said, I was trapped for a year…and spent the last few years with these two boys, finding a way to escape the realm of darkness,” Aqua continued. “Eventually, we met up with Mickey by coincidence. But he told us on what happened, and we helped him, Sora and Riku close the door to darkness. Yet, so much had happened in the last decade…and we have much more to discuss.”

“How so?” Yen Sid asked.

Isa hesitated…before he answered, “About Xehanort’s continued ambitions. Let’s start with the beginning, before we go into the other details.” Isa cleared his throat. “We found out what happened to Aqua’s friend, Terra. Xehanort was able to utilize his power to separate his own heart from his body and sent it to take over Terra from the inside out. He most likely had done it during the three’s confrontation.”

Yen Sid looked surprised…before he lowered his head. “I see…so that was why we couldn’t find neither Terra nor Xehanort.”

“Yeah. Uh, but it’s because of that, that Aqua was suckered in – sorry – to a trap Xehanort made,” Lea spoke up. “After Aqua fought him, he was going to fall into darkness with Aqua trying to help him. Unfortunately, Xehanort’s ambitions continued. A year later, we tried to break into the lab but…odd thing was, well, we met a girl there. No memories of what happened to her, except a Keyblade and a particular phrase.”

“A Keyblade and a phrase?”

Lea nodded. “Yeah. ‘May your heart be your guiding key’.”

The man looked intrigued. “…The old saying.” He nodded. “Continue.”

“Right. Um. We eventually tried to rescue her…but, she disappeared,” Lea continued. “So, we decided to become apprentices to Ansem the Wise. Though, he disappeared not long after…and Xehanort sprang his attack.”

“…It was only by luck that we escaped,” Isa spoke up. “A voice spoke in my head…and I just thought ‘take us somewhere, I don’t care’, and a dark portal manifested. I grabbed Lea and jumped in. After that, though, we got separated.”

The man hummed, stroking his beard. “…either something had interfered with your ‘escape’, or an unforeseen anomaly caused your separation.” He looked at the two. “But…you two are indeed lucky to have survived until meeting Aqua.”

They would agree that it was indeed luck. That much IS true.

“Yeah…and we’ve been with Aqua since,” Lea finished.

“I see…”

Aqua soon spoke. “Master Yen Sid. They may not look like it, but they actually had the ability to wield the Keyblade.” Yen Sid looked intrigued. “Lea attained his ability from the mysterious Subject X…and Isa, while I Bequeathed one for him, he mostly got his through the relay strategy they utilized to survive.”

“A relay, you say?” Yen Sid asked as Lea glanced at Isa on that part.

Lea looked back at them. “Uh…” he scratched his cheek. “Yeah. It’s the only thing we could think of when we were separated from Aqua for a time. It isn’t exactly perfect, per say.”

“Yeah…Lea was worried, so he let me borrow his for a time to defend myself,” Isa admitted. “It was through an accident that we came upon that strategy. So we alternated in being a vanguard and a rearguard when necessary.”

“It isn’t perfect because anything could disrupt it,” Lea shrugged. “But…Aqua and Mickey helped us get better with magic. “ he held up a hand to form an orb of fire before he shifted his hand to hold up a finger. The orb got smaller as well, smaller in size over his finger. “Eventually we managed to get better enough to help them at critical moments.”

“Hmm…in the realm of darkness, you two were forced to adapt to beings dangerous to ordinary people,” Yen Sid said to them. “Reckless as it has been, to even escape down there, you two knew that luck couldn’t always save you. The relay strategy did work, as you said, for a time. However, a Keyblade would normally disappear in those who are unworthy and reappear within the hand of its wielder.”

Lea scratched his cheek. That is true. Isa had mentioned that back at the Enchanted Dominion. Lea’s Keyblade could have, at any time, disappeared in Isa’s hand and reappeared in Lea’s. “Well…maybe it sensed how much I trusted him?” Lea figured. “The again, my Keyblade wasn’t a ‘true’ Keyblade at first. But after everything, I called it forth.” He held out his hand to summon his Keyblade for Yen Sid to see.

Yen Sid notes it curiously. “I see…” He looked over at Lea. “But…from your skill level, it must have been in ‘ideal’ situations. Normally in training, someone with your skills it would be like teaching a cat to bark.”

“…Huh?” Lea blinked.

“I think he means ‘it’s possible but without serious effort,” Isa explained to his friend.

“Wait, seriously?” Lea asked in surprise.

“Yeah,” Isa nodded. “Though…you certainly put in the effort so far.”

Lea grunted. “…Well, I wanted to get better,” he admits. He has his blade in his other hand. “It isn’t just ‘us’ now, you know?”

“I can get why.” Isa manifested his own Keyblade, having the ‘tip’ into the ground. “Meanwhile, I just awakened to mine before we arrived here. To be honest, I treated it like I would manifest magic.”

“Really?” Lea asked him.

“Well, I did what you did mostly,” Isa admitted. He smiled softly. “You inspired me.”

Lea’s cheeks turned pink, before looking away modest. “Ah…I didn’t do much.”

“You don’t give yourself a lot of credit, you know,” Aqua said to him.

“I’m just being modest here,” Lea said. “I’m still a newbie, despite it all.”

At least he acknowledges that he still has a lot to learn, Yen Sid mused. “At the very least, you acknowledged that you still have a lot to learn, as newfound Keyblade wielders.”

They returned their attention to Yen Sid, with the two before nodding. “We could use the training,” Lea said. “But we came here first to talk about what happened. Especially since we might have an idea on what happened to Ven’s heart.”

THAT got Yen Sid intrigued. “Have you now?

“Yeah,” Lea nodded. “Isa and I met Ven in the year when he visited Radiant Garden. We both got a theory of what happened to him…as well as a clue of where his heart is now.”

“Vanitas, the being of darkness that most likely created the Unversed, had to have come from Ventus who had his darkness extracted,” Isa explained. “We thought of that, because Vanitas fused with Ventus easily.”

“But for him to be extracted out of Ven, whose heart NEEDS darkness…Ven wouldn’t be able to last long. Our theory is that another heart had saved his life, filling in the ‘piece’ that was taken from him. Like…a newborn heart.”

“Yet…the strangest thing was that when Lea and I interacted with Ven’s illusion in the dark realm…we saw Sora. So, we thought maybe Sora could be connected in all this.”

Yen Sid looked surprised. “Is that so…?” He closed his eyes in silent mediation. They stood there for a while. Yen Sid opened his eyes. With a wave of his hand, he manifested several files. “Aqua, I heard that you recovered both reports you got from Terra and Ventus. I had kept it here for safekeeping.” He looked through them, before pulling one out. “however, there was but one entry that got my attention that seems to corelate to what happened. The 9th report confirmed where Vanitas originated. But…” he pulls it out to hand it to them. “The next one might confirm your theory.”

Aqua takes it, with Lea and Isa looking over to read it.

_“ Xehanort Report, Number X  
As was to be expected, Ventus lacked the constitution for such an ordeal. I was able to remove the darkness inside him and create Vanitas, a heart of pure darkness, but Ventus drifted into the clutches of sleep._

_Ventus’ heart of pure light and Vanitas’ heart of pure darkness… If both could be made strength enough to one day clash, I know the χ-blade would be forged._

_But Vanitas took too much of Ventus’ heart, and from that fracture, I can see the last of Ventus’ light was slipping away. The boy deserved a place to spend his final moments peacefully. And what should come to mind but my own boyhood home._

_My legs took me there unbidden, and as I stood there on the same beach where I had made my choice so many years ago, I thought: ‘not a single thing has changed’. Here, in this quiet world, time marches in place. Content that Ventus would find peace here, I started to walk away – but just then, the boy held up his Keyblade. The light within him had not died.”_

“…This confirms that Vanitas DID come from Ven,” Lea muttered. He narrowed his eyes. “But…his ‘boyhood home’?”

“Master Eraqus was raised at the seat of power where Keyblade wielders once trained,” Yen Sid explained. “But I can say that the date of this…was March 29th. If a newborn heart had indeed saved him, it would more than likely be a day old when it happened. As for where… I believe Xehanort’s homeworld might just be the Destiny Islands.”

The three looked surprised. “…He came from the islands?” Isa muttered. That’s…ironic. The same homeworld Sora and Riku came from, was also the homeworld of Xehanort.

But Lea…well… He slammed his hands onto the desk. “PAYDIRT!” He shouted, making the two blue haired people jump in surprise. “That just _confirms_ it!”

Isa looked comically mad as he tried to regain his composure. “What were you trying to do? Give us heart attacks?”

“Sorry,” Lea apologized, smiling sheepishly. He shook his head. “But I just figured it out! If Ven was on the islands in his state when a certain baby was born – with the ability to connect with him… Ven was able to return! That’s what happened! Sora must have connected to Ven’s heart – so if Ven was missing his heart… It would follow the link to Sora! Because what’s the safest place than to be within the person who saved him, right?”

Isa and Yen Sid stared at him in surprise. Isa looked at Yen Sid. “…Well? Do you think that’s sound?” Isa asked him.

“Hmm…that MUST be the case,” Yen Sid strokes his beard in thought.

“If that’s true…then…” Aqua looked at Yen Side. “Is there a way to safely awaken Ven’s heart from Sora’s?”

Yen Sid closed his eyes, thinking about it…and nodded. “Yes.” That got their hopes up, “But,” it faltered, “it would involve undergoing a unique requirement.”

“Such as?” Lea asked.

Yen Sid shook his head. “At this time, I have yet to ascertain a solid plan. But even then, it would be treacherous in itself. Need I remind you, that you two have only recently acquired your Keyblades…and Aqua had not been in the realm of light for long. It would take time for you two to be able to handle your Keyblades effectively.”

Lea’s lips scrunch a bit. “…Let me guess: years?” He asked. “I don’t think we have that much of a luxury. Especially with what’s going on.”

“Right…” Isa sighed. “We still don’t know what Xehanort is planning. His Nobody anyway,” he amended. “His Heartless was defeated by Sora a little while ago.”

“Nobody?” Yen Sid inquired.

The three of them soon described in one of Xehanort’s reports on what happened. About Nobodies, and what they speculate could create a Nobody. Yen Sid had to take it all in…and could only nod. “I see… I’ll have to ask Mickey to perform a reconnaissance when he returns. But, if what you are saying is true…then we might have a problem.”

The three blinked. “What do you mean?” Aqua asked.

“During the adventure, Sora came into using a Keyblade formed form the seven princesses to release his friend’s heart from within. But in doing so, he released his own heart.”

The three looked shocked at that. “Okay, WHAT??” Lea exclaimed in shock. “Then what happened to-”

“It’s possible that our enemies had already collected the Nobody of Sora,” Yen Sid answered. Lea retreated a bit, as the man continued, “But, the friend who had her heart within Sora…she is the seventh Princess of Light. Her power was able to restore Sora’s body and form. But if what you mentioned is true…then perhaps the Nobody created from that process might be of some semblance to Sora and Ventus.”

“…So there’s a Nobody of Sora running around?” Lea stated, getting the gist.

Yen Sid nodded.

Isa hummed. “But considering that Ven’s heart was within the kid…that means the Nobody would have quirks from both Sora and Ventus.”

…And Sora may as well have been completely oblivious to that, not knowing his Nobody is around.

Aqua hummed. “If that’s true, then that would mean that the Nobodies – including that of Xehanort’s, would have collected,” Isa perked at the word ‘collected’ and rubbed his chin, “Sora’s Nobody by now.”

Isa hummed. Thinking back to his previous thoughts. Specifically, the thirteen darknesses. How he thought Xehanort couldn’t just magically produce thirteen users of darkness.

He was half-right – Xehanort can’t…

But he could find thirteen suitable beings to use.

Beings without hearts.

Isa jumped before he slammed his hands onto the desk. “I just figured it out!” He declared with Lea and Aqua jumping.

“Jeez!” Lea had a hand over his heart. “Now YOU nearly gave me a heart attack!”

“No, this is important!” Isa shook his head. “Why Xehanort is collecting Nobodies! In fact, he’s only collecting thirteen of them, specifically.”

Isa turned to the two. “Aqua told us that old legend,” he said to them, “Because the Nobodies are ‘empty’, then they would have their own thoughts and memories. Even hearts if necessary. They may not seem to exist…but in reality, we can seem like any other person. So…what if Xehanort was trying to recomplete his objective, but in a legitimate way?”

He held up one hand. “His Heartless, trying to collect seven pure hearts of light…” He held up his other. “And his Nobody, finding thirteen vessels of darkness.” He gave them a significant look. “One side failed, but the other would still try to make the ‘vessels’ like him.”

The two noted it. Lea’s eyes narrowed, crossing his arms tightly over his chest. “…Then we got a problem,” he muttered. “What exactly would they do then to make sure THAT is a reality?”

Yen Sid strokes his beard in thought. “As the Nobodies are ‘new’ and barely researched…they would perhaps believe that they would have ‘no heart’. But the heart is so much more…memories…feelings, If Xehanort concocted a lie to make them believe that Nobodies have no heart…” Yen Sid’s eyes soon went wide a little as he notices it. “Then he would have his vessels being in preparation.”

“…Okay, that sounds sick and wrong,” Lea says, disturbed.

Aqua looked concerned. If all of that is true…then, the realm of light is nowhere near safe. She knew that but…how naïve would she have been to think Sora and Riku could protect the realm? Just them? She had her hand curled up over her chest. “…It seems Sora really is trapped in a predicament of Xehanort’s making…his Nobody too…” Her hand curled a little bit more before a determined look crossed her face. She turned to Yen Sid. “Master Yen Sid, I want to request helping Lea and Isa undergo training.”

The two looked at her as she continued, “I trained them thus far…but, I was unaware of the dangers that’s still happening in the realm of light. I want them to at least be able to handle this new threat, not just the Heartless.”

“I see… But you don’t exactly require my permission, Aqua,” Yen Sid pointed out to her.

“I know. But I felt I need the guidance of an experienced master anyway. This mission is important to me as well. Not just because of what happened to Terra and Ven…but,” Aqua made a serious expression, “Xehanort is my enemy too.”

The man grunted…before nodding. “I see. Then you’re in luck.” He looked to the stars outside. “There was movement that preparations are being made. It seems that now that Xehanort knows where Ventus is, they’re going to search the castle for his body, while using it as a research outpost.”

“So they’ll be at Castle Oblivion?” Lea asked.

“From what I am told…some of their members will be sent there. So yes.” He looked at Lea and Isa. “However, you two should be careful. One of the traces of darkness on the move now is…familiar to me.”

The two tilted their heads at that. “You say ‘now’. Why?” Isa asked.

He looked between the two. “Tell me this. What would you do if you fought what could have been ‘you’ through a possibility made real?”

The two blinked. “…What we would do?” Lea parroted.

As Isa parroted, “A possibility made real? What are you saying?”

“A vessel, after all, reflects what we see and feel before us. Even Nobodies are no exception…or perhaps even puppets. You might not like what the results can be leading towards, but you should prepare yourselves well…and steel your hearts.”

The two glanced at each other…suddenly feeling uneasy. What could he mean by that?

“I see,” Aqua said softly.

“Ah, but first…” Yen Sid looked at the two. “you’re in need of more ‘fitting’ clothes.”

The two looked at themselves at that. They’re still in the spare clothing they had gotten after they had taken their first bath in ages. Lea picked at his shirt. “…Yeah. Our old ones were tattered and been through hell.”

“Well, then I believe I can prepare some garments in mind,” Yen Sid said with some mirth. He looked at Aqua. “Master Aqua, do you remember the three Good Fairies from the Enchanted Dominion? After their world fell, I came to take them under my protection.”

Aqua looked surprised. “So they’re here?”

Yen Sid nodded. “They have been of help to me for some time.” He gestures to the door near them. “They could help provide new vestments for our young wielders to be.”

That got their attention. “Really?” Lea asked excitedly. “Then we’ll go speak to them then!”

“Well, go along now, you two. I would need to talk with Master Aqua for a little while.”

The two looked at her. She nodded to them to assure them. “It’ll be all right. Go get yourselves a new outfit.”

“Well, all right then,” Lea said. “See you in a bit.” The two soon head for the door.

Once it closed behind them, Aqua looked back at the man. “What is it?”

Yen Sid looked at her. “It seems that you have undergone a growth of heart yourself since we last spoke, Aqua.”

Ah, that. “…Admittedly, it was terrifying,” she admitted. No point in lying about it, really. “We each faced a phantom of ourselves. Lea had overcome his first, before he helped Isa…and the two then helped me overcome my own. I was able to confront certain things about myself…especially what I have been withholding.” Yen Sid gestured for her to continue.

Aqua had a hand over her heart. “I’ve made myself hollow unintentionally…by my own master’s teachings no less. I never relied on my own personal experience.” She shook her head. “That was a mistake.”

“Ah.” Now Yen Sid understands. “I could not blame you for that. Eraqus feared the darkness, especially after his slight fallout with Xehanort back then. The two of them were close, like brothers. They had trained under the same master, after all.”

Aqua noted it before sighing. “…perhaps I wasn’t ready at all to be a Master yet, in all honesty. Especially if I lacked my own experience.”

“Perhaps,” Yen Sid said, “But even with training, experience is the true teacher for anyone. You could read a recipe from a book, but it could not teach you of how to make it delicious or make it look ‘right’. It’s only through experience could you do so, after all.”

Aqua looked up, before she nodded. “Right. That is true.”

“Still…the boys are curious cases,” Yen Side strokes his beard in thought. “Lea has an extraordinary affinity for fire…while Isa has an affinity with the moon. Magic seems to run through their veins.”

Aqua hummed at that. “…I see…”

She still doesn’t know much about the two. While Lea had told her bits of their lives, she never knew they were orphans until the depths. Who were their parents and how did they become orphans? Lea mentioned his mother when he told them about the Lunar Tears and of how they could make any wish come true…

Talking to Aerith and Leon didn’t yield anything, only that they were pretty young when an…incident happened. They had been together since then, but…

Now she wishes she had asked what that ‘incident’ is.

Would Lea and Isa even remember it?

Hm…perhaps they had a bit of time. She could try to ask…or ask Yen Sid if there were any odd incidents back then. For now though…

Aqua looked up. “In that case…I’ll have to probably prepare something before we can depart. It could at least let us slip by undetected until then.”

Yen Sid looked at her, intrigued.

-

Lea and Isa stared at the three ladies before them. They’re in different colors; red, blue and green of various ages and sizes.

“Oh my, so you’re the boys Yen Sid has mentioned,” the woman in red said.

“And you three must be the three Good Fairies from Aqua’s story,” Lea responded.

She nodded, “That’s right. I’m Flora. With me are Fauna,” the green one waved at them with a smile, “and Merryweather,” the short one in blue nodded to them with a grunt.

“Nice to meet you,” Isa responded politely.

“We’re so relieved to hear that Aqua is all right and well,” Merryweather said with a smile. “That said, Master Yen Sid said that you’ll be needing new clothes for the road ahead. Well, you’ve certainly came to the right place.”

“How did he even tell them ahead of time?” Lea whispered to Isa, who shrugged in response.

“Well then, shall we get started?” Flora asked them.

“Right…so, how are we doing this?” Lea asked, scratching his head.

Merryweather floated over to Isa, who looked startled at her. “Well…I’d say that blue can fit him best,” she said. “It’ll match with his hair!”

“Uh…”

“Well, I suppose red could go good for him,” Flora mused, looking over at Lea. “Not sure if I approve of the black though.”

“Now, now, ladies,” Fauna spoke up as she fluttered over. “It’s their clothes, so they should at least decide. Though, I suppose that they could use unique vestments for training.”

Well, that is true. They probably may need new outfits to withstand what could happen…and who knows on what they would go through during their training. “Well…it doesn’t have to be fashionable,” Lea said, scratching his head. “It could be…something basic.”

“By the way, what did you do with your keffiyeh?” Isa asked him, with Lea noticing.

“Oh. Well…I kind of had to leave it behind,” Lea admitted. “Considering.” He’d rather not get choked again, thanks.

“Well then, any specifics to them?” Fauna asked them.

Silence.

“Pockets.”

Even Isa stared at Lea in confusion at that specification. “…What?”

Lea looked at him. “I talked with Yuffie last night. Apparently they make clothes without even real pockets.”

Isa blinked. But mostly at the information he just learned. “…They make _fake_ pockets?” He questioned. _‘That’s a thing? **Why** is that a thing? ?’_

“I know, right?” Lea then looked over at himself. “And I’d probably want durable pants…and good boots. Because, while sneakers are good, they’re not good for long distances.” He looked at his arms. “…Might have to skip on protective arm wear.” He looked at Isa. “So how about you?”

Isa blinked. He thought about it. Well, he isn’t much for fashion…but, having practicality over fashion is more conservative, really. Though, a part of him missed his blue jacket. Hmm…

“…Well, I’d probably want something similar to my old jacket, but with longer sleeves,” Isa figured, thinking. “Probably invest in steel toe boots.”

“Steel toe?” Lea parroted.

“Mostly to not just protect our toes but to also give a good kick if we have to.”

Lea blinked. He thought about it. “…Huh. Steel toed boots. That’s pretty good. I think I might invest in that. But I’d rather have pants.”

“Pants are good, to cover your legs. I’d rather not be a Heartless scratching post, thanks.”

Lea’s lips are flat. “…Yeah. Having a pair of pants that only show ankles isn’t productive.”

The two chattered on about their outfits. The three Good Fairies watched as they traded ideas…before they gave each other sly grins at their interaction. “Well, a pair of teenage boys is different from a teenage girl, isn’t it?” Fauna asked the other two.

“You said it,” Merryweather agreed.

Flora cleared her throat, getting their attention. “I know you two are excited, but how about discussing it with us?”

…The two of them blushed, Lea scratching his cheek while Isa rubbed his arm.

The five spent the next few minutes talking about their ideas. Tossing them back and forth to get the general idea of the outfits. Lea found some art supplies and did some doodles. Isa’s surprised that Lea could still draw pretty well, even though they’ve been out of practice. Then again, he hadn’t forgotten how to cook himself. But he thinks he could get into the swing of things later with practice.

Lea stared at the drawing, humming. He twirled his pencil. “…I dunno. Something feels missing…” He mumbled, twirling his pencil the other way.

“What could be missing?” Isa asked him.

Lea only hummed, showing Isa the drawing so far. It gave the basic concept of what the outfits would look like. In fact, there were several of them that were drawn, based on certain suggestions. Isa flipped through them, looking them over. He left the page he was shown alone, as it’s the one Lea apparently likes. Isa then noted the jacket in one of the drawings. It resembled his old one, but it has longer sleeves…and zippers on the sides?

“Why the zippers on this one?” Isa asked him, showing him the drawing.

“Oh. Well, in case you gotta pull the sleeves back better to do stuff,” Lea answered. Isa looked back at it.

“…I think I’ll take that design,” Isa decided. “The jacket. Simply give me boots, some pants…and we’re all set.”

Lea rolled his eyes with a smile. “You and high collared stuff, I swear,” Lea said as he took back the sketchbook, to sketch in the design. Isa looked over his shoulder- but Lea noticed it and looked at him. “D’ya mind?”

“You looked over my shoulder when I cook,” Isa said flatly.

“Well…” Lea paused. He pursed his lips. “Okay. Fine, you got a point.” He finished the sketch, looking over at it. He nodded. “What do you think?”

Isa looked over at it. He nodded. “Yeah. That can work.”

“Okay.” Lea tore out the pages. He hands them to the Good Fairies to let them look over at them.

“Hm…interesting designs,” Flora mused. “Though, there isn’t any color to them…”

Lea shrugged. “I’m sure you guys can figure something out. Just…no embarrassing colors, please.”

The three ladies turned their backs to the two, whispering between each other. The boys heard bits of chatter, like ‘blue’, ‘unique theme’, ‘unique enchantments’ and the like. The two boys looked at each other, then at the women. Soon enough, they looked back at the boys. “All right, we got the basic idea of what to do!” Flora announced.

“…You do?” Lea asked.

“Of course! Now stand still,” Merryweather spoke up as they got out their wands, “this won’t take long at all.”

…Isa sighed. “Let’s get this over with.”

 _‘Oh boy.’_ Lea thought, nervous.

“Now, ready?” Flora asked the two. They nodded. The trio soon put their wands together, then flicked them in unison. The lights hit the duo with an explosion of light and sparkles that the boys had to cover their eyes…

…Once the light had faded, Lea recovered first. “Geez, that’s bright,” he muttered…before he took note of a silver, fingerless glove. He looked over his hands then at himself. A red sleeveless jacket with pockets sits over an orange sleeveless high collared top. The belt is black with a couple of pouches connected on the sides, nearly covering the big, box-like pockets of his brown pants. Golden greaves cover the shins, tied up by strong rope to keep them in place. On his feet are a pair of leather boots with a small belt in them, with steel toe covering. Over his chest is two metallic red bands in the shape of an ‘X’.

Soon after, Isa recovered. He rubbed his eyes a bit before looking over at himself. His gloves are a soft gold color, with him noticing silver metal bracers over his arms and top part of his hands. His high collared jacket is light blue with silver lines at the sides, the collar itself a slight shade of blue. His pants are dark navy in color, also with box-shaped pockets. Finding the zipper, he pulled it down to find that there’s a white shirt under it. True to form, there are zippers at the sides of the sleeves as well, just below the pointy shoulders of his jacket. Finally, his boots are slate grey with a pair of straps on them, with metal around the toes. Like Lea, he also has two metallic blue bands in the shape of an ‘X’ over his chest.

“Whoa! Not bad!” Lea praised, tugging his jacket a bit with a big grin. “This is pretty awesome!”

Isa tugged at the straps. “What are these straps for though?”

“Apparently, they were tradition for some Keyblade users, especially in training,” Fauna explained. “Aqua and Ventus each has one as well, though they have an emblem to them.”

“Huh. I guess it made sense, considering,” Lea mused, before he stuffed his hands into his pockets…and he smiled, making gleeful noises. “Real pockets…!” He wiggled his fingers in them, grinning like a loon.

Isa shook his head at his friend, but with a smile on his face. _‘Goof,’_ he thought fondly as he put his hands in his pockets.

…Wow. Roomy. They outdid themselves.

Lea is still laughing as he hugged the three fairies in delight (the three of them yelping in surprise at the energetic redhead). “Thanks! These are awesome!” He looked at Isa expectantly.

The smile never left Isa’s face, feeling amused by all of this. He approached before he bowed to them slightly. “Thank you for the outfits,” he said politely.

“Hey, give them a hug too, man,” Lea lightly reprimand him.

“I’d rather not,” Isa said as Lea released them. “Just…” Lea gave him a bored look, hands on his hips.

“Oh, it’s fine,” Merryweather waved it off. “We’re just glad you like them!”

“Now you two, we had put a few enchantments onto your clothes,” Flora said to them, with them noticing. “It can not only just protect you from the Lanes, but it can also be a form of protection as well, from magic and to keep them from being torn.”

Fauna nodded. “Though, just because they could do that, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take care of them,” she added. “And they’re not indestructible.”

“Okay, magic clothes, not indestructible, other goodies…” Lea listed off with his fingers before nodding. “Anything else?”

“Well, it’s also normally that you are to be given armor as well…but, we are not blacksmiths per say,” Flora admitted. “You could ask Aqua or Master Yen Sid about it later.”

“Right, we’ll keep that in mind,” Isa nodded. “Again, thank you.”

“Of course, dearies,” Fauna smiled brightly.

“Now, hurry on to Yen Sid. Aqua’s working on something right now,” Merryweather told them. The boys looked at each other.

What could she be doing?

“All right,” Lea nodded before waving at them. “Later.”

Isa nodded at them.

_-_

They returned to the loft, with Aqua missing. Yen Sid is still at his desk, eyes closed.

The two approached the desk. “Um…” Lea began- and the man’s eyes opened.

“If you are wondering where Aqua is, she went to create a passage towards Castle Oblivion,” Yen Sid said to them.

They blinked. “Oh. Really?” Lea asked. “How long would that take?”

"Normally it would take minutes. However, considering that she would like to keep our enemies from detecting their movements, she'll have to be delicate on the approach. It might take a day or two to prepare a path and exit to remain undetected."

Isa crossed his arms. "That...does make sense. Considering how little we know about the Nobodies," he said.

"So...what do we do in the meantime?" Lea asked, tilting his head.

"First off, there's someone I'd like to introduce you," Yen Sid held up a hand to a space. "I had requested his aid in magical training, and he accepted."

In a puff of blue smoke a man appeared wearing a blue gown with at with small glasses and white beard. "Ah, Hello there boys! We meet again!"

Lea blinked at him- but, again when he recognized him. "Hey, aren't you that wizard guy living in that house near the shop?” Lea scratched his head "What was his name...?"

"Merlin." Isa answered.

"Oh yeah," Lea muttered.

They had seen the kooky man from time to time back then. They interacted with him a few times, but only for a couple of odd jobs they got around him.

Merlin fixed his glasses. "I must say, when Yen Sid told me about what happened to you two, I'm surprised of how you managed to survive the dark realm for as long as you have. Oh! We should catch up later."

"It's cool," Lea held up his hands with a nervous smile. He lowered his hands, looking at him. "So...you're gonna be our teacher?"

"For a little while, yes," Merlin confirmed. "But, I'd like to see of how well you two could do, fledgling Keyblade wielders and all. Though, I heard that the two of you wish to help rebuild Radiant Garden?"

"Yes/Yeah," Isa and Lea responded.

“Though…who did you hear that from?” Lea asked him.

Yen Sid held up his hand, getting their attention. “Aqua had told me of what you two planned to do, and I relayed it to Merlin,” he answered. “Admirable that you would want to rebuild your home. Though, it would be best to have a ‘base’ here as you two train, no?”

“A base?” Isa parroted. “You’re not…going to keep us here, are you?”

"As it stands we can't exactly intend to keep you here. However Merlin does have a special place he set up to allow you to rest and prepare accordingly."

"Really?" Lea asked, tilting his head.

"Ordinarily, it's mostly used to give a sense of having no time pass," Merlin said. "But it would be an ideal place for you two to hone your magic." He held up a finger. “Why back on my world it was used for…” He trailed off, thinking before shaking his head. “Well, it’s still around, but I opted to travel the worlds now, but I still have a few tricks to use.”

He gave them a meaningful look. “Perhaps to also let you two get used to utilizing your Keyblades as well,” he added. The two looked at each other.

That…sounds like a pretty good deal. They got all the time they wanted to master their abilities…but…well, at least they could perfect them and then figure out the rest from there.

“Well…I can see where mastering the Keyblade can still come into effect,” Lea muttered. He nodded. “All right, we’ll take it.”

“Yeah,” Isa nodded.

“All right, then as soon as you two are ready, we can begin!” Merlin declared.

“Yes sir!”

And so start their training.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm applying a rule from BlazBlue (which some people may or may not have heard of, sadly) for Yen Sid's situation here. There is a 'chosen' person known as a 'Bystander' from the games. A Bystander's role is to watch EVERYTHING that happens in the world. They also have tremendous power...however, the only condition they have to even keep it is that they cannot interfere with current events. If they do, they lose their power. 
> 
> If you had played certain games and you're either waiting to re-spawn or watching the current game as you wait your turn...it's like that. You can't interact with what's going on, but you DO talk to the people. Not sure if it explains Yen Sid's inaction until Kingdom Hearts III...but, some people decide to be watchers, some people decide to be seekers, and others decide to be teachers. So yeah. It would suck for me if I were in his shoes.
> 
> The training outfits for Lea and Isa are something I designed. Now, I am by no means a fashion expert or such, but we're going with practicality here. On the backs of their jackets are the sigils for the sun and moon - gold for Lea and silver for Isa. The 'x' straps ARE traditional, as Dark Road shows. But don't worry. They won't wear these forever. They will have their own outfits for Kingdom Hearts II as they grow during the year. 
> 
> The countdown has started - and they didn't know it but they had twelve days until they had to go over to the castle do deal with Chain of Memories. With the secret forest, they do have enough 'time' to train until then. It may not be enough but it would be JUST enough.
> 
> Oh and...keep Yen Sid's note about the boy's affinities in mind.
> 
> In any case, see you all next time. Stay safe everyone.


	2. Infiltration

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Infiltrating Castle Oblivion has some faces being met. Some of them old, some of them new.
> 
> (And a wild DiZ appeared.)
> 
> (A Wild Lion thing appeared. Lea is confused.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Long ass chapter ahead. A couple of cameos of Final Fantasy 7 characters appearing. One of them in his Remake design.

Two days had passed in a blur for the boys (in real time). The place Merlin had taken them is one, big forest. It's nice and peaceful, yet...perfect for the kind of training they got. Time moves barely moves at all in that world. While it looks to pass by normally, in reality, it moves so slowly outside of the world it would feel like you had been training for months instead of just a few days in real time. Merlin explained that it’s a unique ability to manipulate time to create an ideal place for training in a short amount of time. Considering that they don’t know how much time they got before they had to leave for Castle Oblivion to deal with the members to be sent there, it's logical to go for something like this as a means to train. So they took what time they had to get used to utilizing other forms of magic as well as their Keyblade Transformations.

During that time they found a lot of things, other than getting used to their magic.

For one...apparently Isa's Keyblade Transformation is a strange claymore.

It looked regular at first, resembling Isa's Keyblade and the 'ring' around the hilt...but, as they found, when he charges it with magic, the 'ring' changed, forming into the spikes that made up its teeth.

"That looks dangerous," Lea commented when they made that discovery.

"Yeah..." Isa muttered. He narrowed his eyes at it. _'It feels like it was meant to be...savage. To tear their opponents apart.'_

This...could be useful for destroying monsters, but he wouldn't use it on a person.

...And of course, they also found that it could also produce shockwaves while in that form.

Isa opted to use it as a 'finish' for the form change.

They also learned of a strange ability as well – well, not exactly an ‘ability’ per say, but it’s something that’s unique to select people, Keyblade users and magic users alike. It’s only called ‘aura’. It’s appropriately named that due to how there’s an ‘aura’ that simply…coats your body. It was said that it’s your soul’s ‘shield’ around your body. However, it isn’t an all-powerful defense. The more hits you take, the more it wanes until it depletes. When it happens, do they start taking damage for real. Not only that, some things could even cut through aura. Someone more powerful or certain things that could hinder one’s concentration. An aura doesn’t automatically ‘turn on’ in battle – it takes time for the person to get used to activating their aura to cover them. In time, and with experience, it would become second nature to the user. What’s interesting is that they can take on a specific ‘color’ over the person. Lea is red, and Isa is periwinkle blue. Aqua’s aura is blue.

Lea grumbled of how they could have been told that sooner, but the Demon Tide had basically torn through Mickey’s shirt, so…Lea ceased his complaints afterwards.

They also improved a bit in their own hand to hand combat fighting as well. While it’s important to learn how to utilize their Keyblades and magic, it’s also important to improve their own capabilities in close quarter combat as well. Nice to rely on weapons but there would be times where you would lose them somehow.

But, two days had passed (while it had felt like months in that forest) when Aqua returned to the tower.

The boys were taking the time to relax a bit, after their training. Lea is lying on the bed, with Isa reading a book. The same book Lea took with him that has the complexities of spells to them.

"I'm surprised a book like this existed," Isa remarked, looking over at the entry.

"Yeah let's just say I was still trying to read through it,” Lea said, annoyed.

Isa nodded. "Yeah, this is rather...complex," he said. "I'm surprised this was within the castle. How did Ansem get his hands on the book in the first place?"

"Dunno. I just...found it," Lea had his hands behind his head, lounging a bit. "I got it hidden in my old room for a while. Found it before we left and took it with me."

Isa looked at his friend. "You're really determined to master your fire abilities, aren't you?"

"Well, yeah. I'd rather not have it explode in my face, thank you."

"True. But still... Do you think something happened to our folks when we were young… or were we too young to remember?"

"Just tossing ideas around?" Lea asked.

"Well, yes," Isa said. "We first met when we were six."

Lea hummed, looking up.

Even though it's only been about a few years...Lea still remembered his mother.

She was beautiful. Long red hair, green eyes...she raised him on her own (though, she did have help). She told him stories of magic and mysticism. His favorite had been about the strong 'Fire Mage' who fell in love with a humble, yet unusual fellow magic user. They had a child and lived happily ever after.

He remembered...she seems a bit sad about it. He didn't know why though.

When he was eight...his mother disappeared. No one had seen her. The day after, he and Isa were put in the same orphanage, cared for by Elmyra Gainsborough and a few other members who help watch them.

"...Hey, do you remember the day we first met?" Lea asked him suddenly.

Isa blinked at him. "What brought this on?"

Lea sat up. "Sorry, it's just...that was the day that began my long, arduous task of becoming your friend," he said, smiling.

Isa hummed.

Isa remembered that day well. A red-haired kid came up to him, wanting to know what he was doing. At first, Isa ignored him...but, he was really stubborn. Lea often chatted about things that came to mind. It lasted for days. And despite Isa ignoring him at first and got a little annoyed…he just…couldn’t understand why this kid would talk with him.

What really had their friendship start was the topic of 'fathers'. Isa...didn't have good feelings about his own. The man left him and his mother behind, going off on an adventure. Isa just...didn't like the way the man had just left them behind, just exited out of their lives like that. Isa made that apparent...but, then was surprised to hear that Lea never knew his father. That it had been him and his mom for a long time; sure they got the support, but there was no father.

After that, they started to hang around more...with Isa finding that it's just...more fun to play with another person. Though, he was anxious that Lea would leave him too. That he would do what his father did.

What really sealed their friendship was when Isa asked him why he would want to be his friend. Lea's response? "Because I wanted to." It was just…so simple. And yet, it was so ‘Lea’ too.

The two had been inseparable since. Lea's mother had been a good friend his own mother needed. It lasted for two years until...

...They were only eight when they both lost their mothers. He only heard about an 'incident' that happened, but they never go into detail. And there was no way he would leave Lea alone. So...he never questioned it.

"...sa? Isa?" Isa returned to the present, with Lea leaning in. "you okay? I kind of lost you there."

Isa's cheeks flushed before he closed his book. "Sorry. Just...got lost down memory lane." He gave a soft laugh. "You're the most stubborn child back then. But...it's that stubbornness of yours that got us to be friends."

"Still...at the same day, we ended up at the orphanage," Isa said as Lea sat down beside him. "...I barely remembered what happened. But I felt...devastated at my mom's death."

Lea grunted softly at that. "...Yeah. Same. With my mom disappearing and all.” He huffed. "...What exactly happened to even cause that though?"

"You got me." Isa replied. "Still, all things considered we opted to help look after the kids too."

Lea nodded. "Yeah. That is true," he said. "Once we got older."

Lea hummed before he looked at Isa. "Hey, do you think the other people who got scattered are okay? Like Mr. Wallace and almost everyone else."

Isa hummed. "Who knows? But, here's hoping they're okay."

"Yeah..." Lea nodded.

Soon enough, the door to the small study knocked. "Yeah?" Lea responded.

Opening the door, there's Aqua. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything," she said.

The two looked surprised at her. "You're back!" Lea said as he stood up quickly.

Isa slowly stood up, placing the book on the bed. "I take it that the path is made?"

"Yes," Aqua nodded. "I just got back honestly."

The two looked over at her. "...Wow, you look exhausted," Lea couldn't help but say.

"Yeah," Aqua said, sheepish. "Just...give me a day, and I'll be back on my feet."

"Try not to overwork yourself," Isa told her. "Just rest."

Aqua had a sheepish smile. "I'll try."

“You better,” Lea huffed. He sobered, asking as Aqua entered the room, “So how did it go anyway?”

"The path was made but that was the hard part. the Easy part was creating an entrance for us to use to get into the castle." Aqua answered

"Have you gone into it?" Isa asked her, closing the door behind her. "The castle, I mean."

"Yes. The Castle is designed to make those who found their ways outside lost in oblivion without a way out. But while I was there... I sensed someone else in the castle."

They looked surprised. "Really?" Lea asked her.

Aqua nodded. "It didn't feel...threatening," she furrowed her brows. "But, the person who's in the castle...didn't feel as if they had been there long. About several days, maybe." Aqua gave a look. "But for now we'll probably need to recover for now."

"Yeah, you DID just get back," Lea said. "We kind of called it a day ourselves from Merlin's training."

"I see. I'm actually relieved that Merlin was alright. But now we need to navigate this carefully."

"If we're going to infiltrate the castle?" Isa asked her. She nodded. "When?"

"Once we advance enough in your transformation I'd say. Considering that you were able to manifest your vehicles.. that should only take a couple of days."

Two days, huh?

Lea nodded. "I think we can dig that," he said.

"May as well," Isa said, arms crossed.

-

Two days had passed since Aqua's return. The two got a better handle on the Vehicles now as well as their weapons performance. During those days, they asked Yen Sid more about weapon maintenance and such. For stronger threats, this was made to at least allow certain weapons to become sturdier – as was the case of the Heartless. Mickey had gotten his stronger for the trip to the Dark Realm at least, because not only was the realm uncharted territory, but it was also as a precaution as they’re within Heartless territory.

The ones with the expertise of weapon forging, however, are the Moogles. The boys are surprised that such small, fluffy creatures can have that ability. Then again, they make a myriad of items, like potions and such.

It was a day after that explanation do they talk about it.

“Well, at least we got some ideas on how to use it, right?” Lea asked his friend who nodded.

“Yeah.” Isa looked over at his Keyblade. “At least we know what we needed to do. On our next visit to the Gardens, we can talk with the Moogles for the upgrades, if they could.”

“Well, those guys are always moving around,” Lea muttered. “And unless we could find them in the castle…not likely.”

Isa considered it, before huffing. “Right. We might have to look for them at another world if we could.” Isa dismissed his weapon.

“Yeah,” Lea nodded, dismissing his. He has his hands behind his head. “So, what do you think of the person in the castle? Why’d you think they’d be there?”

“Good question,” Isa shrugged. “But…for them to be there, as the Nobodies use it as a research outpost…not a good sign.”

“Yeah, but you know we need to know the name of that group,” Lea mused, going off topic. “Can’t just call them ‘Nobodies’ forever.” Isa rolled his eyes. How quickly they shift topics. Lea looked at him. “I mean it though. I know they’re using that place as an outpost; we seriously need a ‘name’.”

“I know.” Isa hummed, tiling his head back with his arms crossed. “…What do you think they could be called?”

“What, you’re asking me?” Lea asked, befuddled.

Isa gave him a pointed look. “You’re the one who brought it up. What do you think?”

Lea pursed his lips, before they puckered a bit as he thought about it. “…Um…like…an organization…? Or something?” he suggested with a nervous smile.

“…An organization…” Isa muttered. “That sounds…right somehow. But, hm…” he tapped his chin. “Considering Xehanort’s plan, he would need thirteen members to be with darkness…”

“So, what? Organization 13 or something?”

“Sounds about right. Though, the number can be roman numeral.”

Lea gave him blank stare. “…You mean like… X-I-I-I?” Isa nodded. Lea didn’t know if he should be creeped out about how fitting it is. “…Well, until we know for now, we could call them the ‘organization’ until otherwise,” Lea had a nervous smile. “…But, seriously. Did we just coined that though? ‘Cause I’m pretty sure that they did it and we just guessed it.”

“Maybe,” Isa admitted.

Lea groaned, leaning back. “Whatever.”

“What are you two talking about?” Aqua asked them as she came into the room.

“Nothing,” Lea answered as they looked at her. “So, what’s up, Aqua?”

“Well…other than the ceiling,” Aqua joked (with Lea making a bored look at her), before she got serious, “I’d say that your transformation training is doing well. Well, enough to do our investigation today.”

The two looked surprised at her. “Wait, we’re heading in today?” Aqua nodded at Lea. “When, like now?”

“Now,” she confirmed. “If you two are up for it.

The two looked at each other. They had been training for a short while, yes, and while they had made decent progress…

“Are there anything in the castle?” Isa asked her.

“No,” Aqua shook her head. “It’s just an infiltration. We’ll be in and out before you know it.”

_‘Well, I hope so,’_ Lea thought. “…Well, all right then.”

“Okay. I asked the Fairies to simply enchant my own outfit with that protection, for now.” Since Aqua’s armor and Keyblade were last seen in Radiant Garden, it would have to be deep within the castle. Probably within the labs somewhere. Isa had a feeling on where it is but…not now.

“Right. Eventually, we’ll have to find that lab and get your stuff back.” Lea held out his hands. “Well, shall we?”

Aqua nodded. “Let’s hurry.”

After they informed Yen Sid of where they’re heading, and a ‘good luck’ from him and the other magic users, the three of them soon head off to their destination.

Flying through space, Lea looked over at his outfit. It did pretty well to protect him from the darkness of the Lanes. Though, he wondered on what the armor would look on him. The boy smirked before focusing on their destination.

Soon enough, they see something at a short distance away. An entryway to a castle ‘floating’ in the darkness.

“Hey, is that it?” Lea had to raise his voice to ask Aqua.

“That’s it all right,” she confirmed.

“All right let’s go.

When they landed…the castle wasn’t what the two expected.

Ominous, yes, with the clouds and everything behind it…

But it was also quite massive.

It’s…mostly a muted gold color? With teal colored steeples and such. It looked like a jumbled mess of castle parts. But, considering this was once the castle of the Land of Departure, it’d make sense the remains of it would take this shape.

After a moment, Lea put his hands on his hips. “So…other than infiltrating, what are we doing here?”

“We can use it to observe the Nobodies,” Aqua answered, “while also figuring out the nature of the one I found and sensed.” She looked up at the castle, rubbing her chin. “Though… We would need to wait for the right moment to check on Ven’s body. It would be dangerous to check in on him, if there’s any of them around, looking for the chamber.”

Right, and they could have located it and snag Ven’s body by force if they aren’t careful. Lea nodded. “I guess that made sense.”

“So, are we going to use the front door?” Isa asked rhetorically.

“No,” Aqua simply answered.

The two looked at her. “So, a secret entrance?” Lea asked.

“Yes,” she nodded before she walked down the path. The two followed her, as they walked away from the front gates of the castle…to the side. It looked like a flat surface…but when Aqua held up a hand, a handle appeared via magic. She grasps it and pushed it open. She looked at the two and gestured her head to the opening.

The two walked through the new entrance…

…And their eyes squinted at the sudden brightness- wait, it isn’t bright. It’s just…white. Pure white. A blinding kind of white.

Lea rubbed his eyes as Isa squinted his eyes, his face scrunched up.

“…That is just bright…” Isa muttered, rubbing his eyes now.

Aqua entered after them, closing the door. The handle disappeared into light. She waited patiently for the two to get adjusted to the sudden brightness, before she spoke up, “Ready?”

“Yeah. We are,” Lea nodded.

The three walked down a hall. The inside has white marble as part of its architecture, with infrequent plinths, wall-carving and sculptures made with a flower motif. Lea briefly wondered if this was a thing from back then. He got back to attention as Aqua spoke up. “Intruders who usually step forth into the castle first would end up forgetting their powers as if to disarm them,” she explained. “Not only that, they’ll be forced to utilize a different means to fight, using ‘cards’, such as these.” She turned to them, showing them a ‘deck’ of them – they look like average cards but with a crown at the top instead. There are those with a red border, mostly others with blue borders and a couple that has green borders. “Any and all people who enters in here must obey the law of the castle unless otherwise stated by the master – in which case me.”

The two looked over at the cards. They each have numbers on them, but always from 0-9.

“Huh. Weird rules,” Lea muttered. “But, what happens if they leave the castle? Do they just… ‘remember’ how to fight, like it never happened?”

“Yes,” Aqua nodded. “It’s designed to disorientate intruders after all.’

“Meaning, they either had to be crazy enough…or dumb enough to venture further in.”

“The group that was here probably found out about that as well,” Isa figured, arms crossed. “Not that it’ll stop them from doing…what they’ll do.”

“Agreed,” Aqua nodded. “Now, let’s go and find the one I sensed. They should be nearby. Stick close.”

The two nodded at her, giving thumbs up. “Copy that,” they said.

-

As they enter another floor, spoke up. If to fill the silence.

“So, I got a question. Suppose we’ll have to use the cards ourselves. How would that go?”

“The cards usually have a value from 0 to 9,” Aqua answered. “9 would normally be the strongest, unless you use a 0 card which can deflect anything. Unless someone plays any number after it.”

“So…time it right, the zero card can ‘break’ any higher card?” Lea asked, scratching his head.

“That’s right,” Aqua nodded.

“But it can be broken by any card,” Isa figured.

“Right. But there’s also when you can stack up to at least three cards,” Aqua continued, “with those three cards you can perform ‘Sleights’. Sleights are what can allow you to unleashed techniques, like powerful attacks, spells or unique abilities related to them. Though, after you use a Sleight and reload your ‘deck’, you would always lose the ‘first’ card used. But you don’t lose them forever. You can regain that card through a Hi-Potion card, Mega-Ether card or an Elixir card or Megalixir card to regain them….or after the battle has won.”

Lea hummed, taking it all in. “…That sounds easy enough to understand.”

“So…you can use ‘Sleights’ for techniques, but you always ‘lose’ the ‘first’ card used…it can lower the ‘deck’ of any cards, and you could get them back by either of those strong item cards or finish the battle quick,” Isa summarized, thinking.

“Yes. Performing advanced magic works too.” Aqua held up a finger. “But there are some cases some can use stronger cards for more powerful attacks, depending on the user.”

“So, the higher ‘number’ on the card…the stronger it is when used in Sleights? And for different people, they can have different abilities.” Lea hummed in thought. He nodded. “Okay. That makes sense.”

“Oh, and it follows the same principle items and magic too. That means if someone uses the 0 card, your Sleight would be canceled out.”

“Oh, so timed right, a zero can trump a strong Sleight,” Isa nodded. “But ONLY if timed right.”

“That’s correct,” Aqua confirmed.

Lea scratched his head. “Glad we got that checked out. It sounds easy enough to do but it all depends on who we fight.”

That is true. Who knows how long it would be until the group sends certain members to the castle; they won’t know who to face, or what their capabilities are. Or what they would be like. Sure, they knew the other apprentices, but they aren’t sure what they would be like after nine years without hearts…

Lea huffed as he has his hands behind his head. “Still, kind of sucks that we gotta use cards to battle. But…that’s just the castle doing its job.”

“Yes,” Aqua nodded.

It would be later that they soon found the room Aqua had sensed the person. The doors are larger and ornate looking. Aqua grabs the handle and pushes it open. Lea was the first to enter- and he heard movement. “Hm?” He blinked, his head moving to the source.

“What?” Isa asked as the two noticed his staring and looked.

Trying to hide herself (and not well), is…a girl. A girl with blonde hair with some of it over her right shoulder. She was hiding behind the table, starting at them with wide indigo-blue eyes.

“A girl?” Aqua blinked. The three of them gave each other inquisitive looks. Is this girl the one Aqua sensed?

Aqua and Isa looked around a bit, to make sure there’s no one or nothing else in the room with them, while Lea tilted his head at the girl. “…Uh…hi?” He greeted the girl.

The girl slowly pulled herself up a bit, showing her white sundress. “Who are you?” She asked warily.

Lea smiled. “Well…do you mean our names? Or just in general?”

Isa frowned at his friend with a bored look, crossing his arms. Lea made a sheepish smile at him, scratching his head. The redhead looked back at her. “I’m Lea. That’s Isa and Aqua,” he gestured to the two individually. He tilted his head at the girl. “How about you? What’s your name?”

The girl perked at that…but had contemplative look.

Lea waited, as Aqua and Isa looked at each other, befuddled. What reason would the girl have to be like this. Does…the girl know her own name?

Finally, after a while of deliberation, she meekly answers, “…The people in the black coats call me… ‘Naminé’.”

“Naminé?” Aqua parroted (as Lea and Isa looked at each other when Naminé mentioned ‘black coats’), with the girl nodding meekly. “I see…”

Lea hand his hands on his hips, contemplating it. Humming, he looked up at Naminé. She’s…quite a nervous thing. Were those people in the black coats not at all… nice to her? Hm. He lowered his arms, casually approaching the girl. When she noticed him, she jumped with a gasp, backing away with him noticing. “Hey. It’s okay,” he said gently, holding up his hands. “I won’t hurt you.”

The wary look in her eyes had him thinking that…maybe she hadn’t at all had gotten good experience with other people. “You won’t?”

“No,” Lea assured her, shaking his head. “But…uh…” he scratched his head. “Who are those people in the black coats? If you don’t mind me asking.”

She shook her head. “I don’t know. But…they did research onto me.”

Lea raised an eyebrow. “Why would they?” Aqua asked her.

“Well…” Naminé hesitated. “They said that…I had unique powers. Powers over memory. Yet, the memories they’re associated with…is with a boy named Sora.” Lea had leaned against the table as she talked, humming as Isa raised an eyebrow.

_‘Someone with powers over memory…?’_ Isa asked himself. But…over Sora’s? How is that possible? And why only Sora’s?

Aqua, though, tilted her head at Naminé. “…Hm…”

Isa noted it. “What is it?”

The woman tilted her head at the blonde-haired girl, who blinked at Aqua. “…I’m not sure why but…she seems…familiar to me,” she answered, thinking.

Hm. That’s…peculiar.

Lea pursed his lips a bit, before he looked at Naminé. “So, uh, Naminé. How long have you been in the castle?”

The girl notes it…but her brows furrowed as she thinks. “…Well…I think…for a long while. It felt like my whole life,” Lea blinked. Huh? But, wasn’t the castle-? Naminé shook her head, “Though, realistically…it’s felt like days ago.”

…Again, huh?

“Okay…” Lea muttered to himself. “Uh…anything…strange beforehand?”

The girl hummed. “…Not much, I’m afraid,” she admitted. “But, I do know that the people in the black coats…investigated me. They took notes of my abilities. Yet, they mentioned one name in mind. ‘Kairi’.”

Aqua looked surprised. “Kairi…”

The little girl she rescued, that’s now living at Destiny Islands now…why mention that? Is Naminé somehow connected to Kairi as well?

How?

Isa is mulling over this in his mind. A girl with powers over Sora’s memories, and yet there’s a mention of Kairi…

It was mentioned that Kairi is a princess of heart – Yen Sid had said as much when they first met him. It was a surprise that the little girl Aqua met is a princess of light. One doesn’t have to be a princess to have a heart full of light, it seems. And- wait.

A thought came to Isa. Kairi was living at Destiny Islands with Sora and Riku, after what happened in Radiant Garden. When the Islands fell, Leon and the others told them that Sora had been looking for the two – Kairi had been without her heart, with her body prone. Yen Sid said that Sora had to unlock his heart to free his friend’s…but, if Riku ended up in the dark realm, it isn’t Riku’s heart he had to free (since the boy had his body stolen himself). It was someone else’s…

Could it be…?

Isa frowned. He’ll have to lead his friends to that same train of thought. “Lea…didn’t Kairi live at the islands, with Sora and Riku?” He asked, with the red head noticing.

“Yeah?”

“But, the islands were destroyed, but it eventually came back after the door is closed, thanks to us, and the efforts of Sora and the others.”

Lea turned to him. “So…where are you going with this?” At least he’s getting straight to the point.

“So, what would happen to Kairi though?” Isa asked him. “Kairi is the Princess of Heart – if they had her, they could have finished the Keyhole sooner and the worlds would have been toast. If Naminé has powers over Sora’s memories and yet also had a connection to Kairi…how did that happen?”

Lea blinked. “…Uh…”

“Where are you going with this?” Aqua asked him.

Isa looked at Aqua. “Nobodies are formed from the bodies of people with a strong will. It would be safe to assume that Naminé is a Nobody…but, she’s not made like normal ones. She could be a…special situation. Don’t you think it’s odd that Sora would need to separate his own heart and body? While it’s for a friend…who’s friend’s heart was within his?”

Lea had to think about that, scratching his head. Yen Sid mentioned that he had to free a friend’s heart, like Isa said. If it isn’t Riku’s then…

“…Because, Kairi’s heart is in his?” Lea offered.

“Exactly,” Isa nodded. “Kairi is the Princess of Heart…so she wouldn’t have darkness in her heart. She can still feel negative emotions, sure, but no darkness. So, even if she loses it, she won’t become a Heartless.” He held up a hand. “But her body would be elsewhere without a heart until it’s reunited. Since Riku’s body had been taken over by the Heartless of Xehanort, Sora would have to face him off to get the Keyblade to ‘open’ hearts. Hence, the end result. Sora may had created two Nobodies from his body. Kairi’s and his own.”

Lea blinked at this. Mostly at what he just heard. If all of that is true…then one thing didn’t add up. “If what you’re saying is true, then…how did Kairi’s heart even get in Sora’s in the first place?”

Isa gave a bored stare at him.

It took Lea a moment for him to realize ‘who’. “Ooooh…Xehanort.”

“Yeah. It seems like Xehanort was at the islands to do that.” Isa frowned; arms crossed. “…But that was TOO planned out. Was he expecting to have a Nobody of Sora’s created…?”

Well, duh. They needed thirteen vessels, and the Nobody of a Keyblade user would be perfect for making those vessels. Though, where does Naminé fit into all of this?

And Sora is also a Keyblade user as well. So…what does that make him?

…

Isa’s eyes went wide a little, in realization. “…Wait. Suppose that they had Sora’s Nobody…but, if that Nobody didn’t exactly plan out. What would be Plan B?”

…Aqua and Lea realized it as well. The three of them looked at Naminé, who looked startled at the stares.

Her power over memories, in particular Sora’s…and the unique way she was ‘made’ to even have that power…

“…If she has powers over Sora’s memories…” Aqua began.

“…They could use her to make Sora into a puppet?” Lea finished, as Naminé looked confused, along with being nervous.

“Then that would mean that their plan involves dismantling Sora’s memories,” Isa figured, thinking, “to make him be alone and eventually, become a back-up in case his Nobody fails.”

“Okay, that’s doubly sick and wrong,” Lea muttered with a flat look.

“…Um…”

Lea noticed it. “Oh, right. Ugh. We talked like she wasn’t even there, what’s wrong with us…?” He cleared his throat. “Okay, so…basically, I think you know they were looking over you, because you ‘know’ Sora, right?”

Naminé seems to have noted the emphasis on ‘know’, but she nodded.

“You’re pretty much a Nobody – a very unique one that’s the Nobody of a Princess of Heart, but made from the body of someone else,” Lea explained. “You were ‘born’ first, before the other kid – Sora’s Nobody – did. Uh, got that memorized?”

Naminé hummed. “I think so…” she mumbled. She hummed. “…Actually, I think I remembered something. Like, I felt like I had to somehow do something. Something was…off, so…” She looked at Aqua. “I felt a connection to her. A…sort of a living ‘will’. I felt you were in danger, so I motivated that ‘will’ to try and help you.”

Aqua noted it, flashing back to Terra when he appeared in the Dark Realm to hold back Xehanort. “You’re the one who helped reach out to Terra?”

Naminé nodded.

“I see…” Aqua smiled. “Well, thank you. If not for you, we wouldn’t have been here.”

Naminé looked surprised…before she shyly smiled back. “You’re welcome,” she replied, playing with her hair. “It was the least I can do. But, I was still confused on what I was until now.” She looked at them. “You said that I was a Nobody created from both Sora and Kairi. I can at least understand that much…and I’m glad. It also explains why my power has an effect on Sora.”

“…And possibly Ven too,” Lea pointed out. “Ven’s heart is within Sora’s.”

“So…by extension, we’d be connected to Sora as well,” Isa figured. “Since we met Ven.”

Lea sighed. “Talk about a web of connections…” He muttered. He looked at her. “So, Naminé… You’d know who we are since we only briefly met Sora…since you can see his memories or something?”

“Yes,” she nodded. “But seeing them in memories and in person are two different things. It’s like…recognizing a warm feeling but seeing them for the first time. It would be like…if Ven had never heard or met Sora, and yet could ‘feel’ him.

“Huh, that’s interesting,” Lea mused.

Isa nodded. “It’s an interesting power…but, it can be terrifying too.

Naminé looked nervous, agreeing with him. “Yes…” Her eyes shifted. “But, I think I can see something. When Sora saw you two…something came into his mind. Memories of two people he never met before. But, another him, his Nobody, did.”

That got their attention. “…Wait, really?” Lea asked.

The blonde girl nodded. “Yes. It’s faint, but…one watched over him for a while.”

The two boys looked surprised. “…That’s…weird,” Lea muttered. “This is the first time we’ve been here, though. How can there be people like us? I mean…we didn’t lose our hearts.”

That does sound strange. How could Sora’s Nobody meet people who are like them? They couldn’t be in two places at once, could the-?

A memory flashes into Isa’s mind. The two were with Even and Ienzo as Even had the two strip and get into the pods to ‘scan’ them. When questioned on it later…Even merely said that it was a ‘failsafe’, just in case…

When the memory ended…it hits Isa, who looked surprised. “…maybe not our hearts…” He muttered, “But…Even did some research on us, and the hearts too. He said that he had a fallback plan to make sure that if something goes wrong…they wouldn’t have lost the lives they’re living. I didn’t get it at the time, and he only mentioned it once…but…” Isa grimaced. “He said that it would be a ‘just in case’, considering…”

Lea had a shocked look. “Wait…so…with the data Even got from us…” He felt uneasy. _‘…Is this what Yen Sid meant…?’_

Isa was unaware of Lea’s thoughts, but he nodded to confirm it to Lea.

Silence fell in the room. Mulling over this new revelation presented to them. A pair similar to the two…but, not like them at the same time…

Naminé fidgeted a bit. She wrung her hands a little, the corners of her lips curling a bit…before an idea came to her. “Um…you wouldn’t happen to have paper and anything to draw with, do you?”

“Huh?” Lea blinked. “Why?”

She hesitated…but, she wanted to help shed some light to this. Gathering what courage she didn’t think she had, she explained, “…I could show you the ‘memory’ in question. Drawing makes it…easier to be ‘seen’. If…that made sense.”

The three looked at each other…before Lea sighed. He dug into one of his pouches…pulling out his sketch book and packets of coloring sticks. “Here,” he said.

“Why’d you carry those around?” Isa asked him, staring at them as Naminé takes them.

“Well…mostly in case I got bored,” Lea answered. “Don’t know how long we’ll be here to be honest. Plus, it keeps my hands busy.”

Hmm…better to deal with that, than to do something idiotic because you were bored. This somewhat shows that Lea is finding ways to safely deal with it.

Naminé looked over at the book, before looking at Lea. “I’ll give this back soon,” she promised. “Also, thank you.” Taking out some pencils, she opened it to a new page and got to work, drawing something.

The three of them waited for a few moments. Lea leaned against the table, tapping his finger against the table. Soon enough, Naminé moved away. “I’m done.” She held up the picture. “Look.”

It was a simple drawing, like a child had made it…but, the image was something Isa noted.

It’s a drawing of a kid with blonde hair. His hair is styled like Ventus’…yet with him are two people. The three of them wore black coats…but the two seem to be older than the boy. They’re of the same height, but one has wild red hair, and the other has long blue hair. There’s an ‘x’ on the blue haired person’s face. In the same location as Isa’s own scar.

Lea took the sketchbook from her to look at it closely. “…Okay, they don’t exactly look like us, but…” he muttered. “They could be on what Yen Sid had said earlier. If we’re here, then…those two there…are probably…copies of us.”

…Copies that took the place meant for…them?

Isa took the sketchbook from Lea, looking over at the drawing. The data Even had gotten from the two…

“…Replicas…” he muttered. He narrowed his eyes at this revelation. “…So if the people lost their bodies…then replicas can replace their bodies by taking in their hearts. THIS is Even’s fall back plan…in case the experiment went awry.” He lowers it. “He didn’t get to use them, for themselves. But, since we were in the dark realm, Xehanort needed two people to fill in apparently. So replicas of us were created…”

Lea looked at the picture again. If that’s true…would the data Even got from the two would be enough-?

The thought had barely left his mind before it flashed a memory. The odd sensation he felt when they were being squeezed by that ‘figure’. It was so odd he had put it at the back of his mind for a little while to focus on other things… And yet that sensation…it was like…

Lea gasped a bit in realization. “So, when he saw us in the realm of darkness…he got the information from us. And that information would have helped solidify the data Even got from us, a-and made them stable. To help them think that they’re our Nobodies.”

Isa noted it, before grimacing at the thought. If that’s true, Even didn’t get a lot of data from them at first. But with new data…they would be complete. A lot more than they were if they had been around longer, over the last nine years. Though, would Lea’s Replica even use his Keyblade? Would his?

…Probably not. But, it’s a thought.

He should focus more on the present. So, Isa nodded. “That could explain that picture.”

“Oh man…” Lea muttered, holding his head. “So…there’s replicas of us around. I don’t know how to feel about that.”

Isa couldn’t argue with that. To know that there’s…a ‘copy’ of you going around. That’s…a little unsettling. What would they be like…?

Naminé gave a hum. “Well…maybe you can confront them?”

“Who, our replicas?” Lea asked. “I dunno.” He paced a bit. “I mean…we can’t just waltz up to them and say ‘Hi, uh, this may sound strange, but you aren’t a Nobody but a replica of me. It’s nice to meet you anyway’.” He threw his hands up in the air. “yeah, that’s not gonna go well.”

“Maybe not them,” Naminé shook her head, with Lea blinking at her. “Maybe Even’s Nobody – Vexen. He was the one who helped research me. Though…their leader did ‘Sample’ some of Sora’s memories.”

“Xehanort’s Nobody?” Isa asked her.

Naminé nodded. “Yes. Vexen calls him… Xemnas.”

Upon hearing the name, Lea’s lips went flat. “…Uh…I gotta feel sorry and a bit immature here, but that name is an unfortunate anagram for something inappropriate- OW!”

Isa and Aqua had realized the line of thinking Lea’s going down; Isa slapped Lea upside the head to shut him up as Aqua covered her mouth in shock. “Lea!” Aqua scolded him as Isa shook his hand a bit.

Lea rubbed his head. He deserved that one. “Yeah, okay, I’ll withdraw the comment,” he said. “The real anagram is just Ansem with an ‘X’ added in.”

After Isa shook off the pain a bit, he curled his mouth a little. There seems to be a ‘theme’ going on here. Vexen is ‘Even’ – just rearranged to have the ‘x’, included. Same with Xehanort, who stole Ansem’s name and calls himself ‘Xemnas’ now.

“…So, would that mean our replicas would follow the same ‘theme’ as the Nobodies of Xehanort and Even’s?” Isa asked.

“What? Of how they’re giving themselves names with an ‘x’ added in?” Lea asked. Isa nodded. Lea hummed. “…Well, the best name I can think of with my name having the ‘x’? Probably ‘Axel’.”

“Axel?”

“Yeah. Better than Exal, or Laxe…to be honest, ‘Axel’ sounds cooler.” Isa rolled his eyes at that. Though, ‘Axel’ is more appropriate than some other names. Lea is tapping his chin now. “Though, for yours, uh…” He hummed. “Let’s see, I-S-A with an ‘x’…what would that be…? Uh…Aixs? Axis…Siax…”

Isa made a bored frown. “…I think mine would be ‘Saïx’. It sounds like ‘sigh’ at first, and then ‘ex’. Saïx.”

“Saïx, huh?” Lea asked, testing the name. He hummed before nodding. “Yeah. It sounds better than the ones I listed off.”

“Yeah, because, ‘Axis’? Really?” Isa asked him boredly.

“Yeah. Too similar to the name I might have gotten if I got a Nobody. Plus, I’m pretty sure that’s a term for an angle.”

“Yes, and in a slight rearrangement of ‘Axel’, you get something that’s a term for a rod that passes through the center of a wheel or a group of wheels,” Isa pointed out.

Lea gave a flat look to Isa, not amused.

“Well, at least you figured out their names,” Naminé spoke up.

“…Well, all things considered we at least figured it out,” Isa said.

“Of the agenda of Xehanort and our replicas?” Lea asked, with Isa nodding in response. “So, that means we’ll probably use this change to find out more about the replicas from Vexen if we can catch them…” The corners of his lips curled. “IF we catch them. We’re still rookies at this point in time.”

Isa nodded. “We are. And even though Aqua’s a master, it’ll be a whole new field for her.”

“True,” Aqua agreed. “I faced Unversed and Heartless, but not Nobodies.”

“Still, if their objective IS to use your powers on Sora to dismantle his memories,” Isa spoke up, “then that means we’ll have to sneak into the castle to try to keep you safe.” He furrowed his brows, crossing his arms. “Though…we’ll need to figure out other routes, just in case. They’ll eventually find the path we used to get in here. Even then, with the rules of the castle, we’ll be forced to play by its rules.”

“So, the only thing we can do is make sure we’re adapt enough to the rules to beat them,” Lea figured, scratching his head.

It sounds reasonable. The more they could adapt, the better they could be able survive at least. Not only that…just learning the rules won’t be enough.

Hmm…

An idea formed in Aqua’s head, with her humming. “…Then I got an idea to help with that. After all, nothing’s a better teacher than experience, right?”

The three’s heads looked to her. “What’s on your mind, Master?” Lea asked her.

“Let’s head to one of the floors with those doors I found,” Aqua said. “We could use it for training.”

The boys hummed, glancing at each other. Lea looked at Naminé. “Say, wanna come with?”

“Huh?” Naminé looked surprised at the offer. “But…”

“Wouldn’t you like to go out of this room every once and a while?” Lea asked her. “Besides, what those guys don’t know won’t hurt them.”

Naminé hesitated. She clasped her hands, biting her lower lip. Her eyes shifted about nervously.

And Lea is patient with her. It startles Aqua on how he could be patient with a few things but be impatient with others. He’s getting better at the other things…but, it looks like he has time and practice with other people. (Now that she thought about it, he was patient with her as well, back in the dark realm.)

“…Well, what do you want to do, Naminé?” Isa asked her. “For yourself?”

The girl fidgeted…before she seems to have gathered some courage. She took a deep breath. “O-Okay. I’ll need to get a few things though.”

“Okay,” Lea nodded simply.

After Naminé had found another sketchbook, somehow, and a few things like pastel crayons, she joined them. “Ready.”

“All right,” Lea responded with an easy smile. He looked at Aqua. “Lead the way.”

Aqua nodded before she led them away.

They soon arrived to one of the floors, with a set of pale yellow-white doors sitting on top of a platform with stairs leading up to it. The doors easily tower over them, with the trim made of carved marble as well. “I found that these floors have unique ‘rooms’ that are mostly…nothing,” Aqua said, thinking. “We might need to ‘make’ something in order to utilize it properly.”

“Hmm…that makes sense,” Lea said as Naminé stepped forward to look up at it. “Though…how do we do that…?”

Naminé hummed. “…I…might have an idea,” she spoke up, getting their attention. “We could utilize it if we can…make a world. And in order to access that ‘world’, you’ll need to synthesize a world from your memories.”

“Oh, really?” Lea asked. “So…how do we do that?”

Naminé thought about it. “…I think I got an idea.” Pulling out her sketchbook, she soon jotted down something…before her page glowed. An orb of light floated off of it- before it transformed into a card. Similar to the ones shown to them, but a little bigger. It also has the picture of the ‘outside’ view of Radiant Garden.

Naminé gently takes the card before handing it to them, with Lea taking it. Taking note of the logo, Lea looked to Aqua. “Is this…how Radiant Garden looked back then?”

Aqua nodded. “Out in the Lanes, yes.” She takes the card from Lea, looking over at it. “Though…I’d imagine that once we go inside, it won’t be the ‘same’, per say, as Radiant Garden.”

“How so?” Isa asked.

“The ‘rooms’ I mentioned doesn’t go in an exact order. It’s sort of like…a labyrinth,” Aqua explained. “It could apply to that as well.”

“So…we’re going through a labyrinth version of our homeworld?” Lea asked, with her nodding.

Aqua walked up the stairs with the three kids. “All right, let’s see if this works.” She held up the card, face forward. It flashed with light…and the door flashed as well, with the light seen from the cracks. The card disappeared from her hand- and the doors opened on their own. A white came from beyond the doors, nearly blinding them.

Despite that, they stepped into the light…

…And soon found themselves in a familiar area. With several flower gardens of the castle.

The four looked around in surprise. None more surprised than Lea and Isa, who grew up on the world.

“…This is…!” Isa breathed out eyes wide.

Lea looked around, exhaling. He shook his head. “I…I know this is a memory version of it, but…”

Isa nodded. “This feels a _lot_ like home…”

Aqua looked intrigued by how it worked. She looked over at Naminé, who looked around in awe of what Radiant Garden once looked like. _‘This is…nearly a good recreation,’_ the woman thought. Though, who’s memory did she use?

She turned to Naminé fully. “Naminé.” The girl looked at her as the boys looked around. “This is…incredible. But…is this really made from memory?”

Naminé hummed at that. She approached. “I…mostly used your joined memories of the location,” she explained, getting the boys’ attention. “Yours, including Lea’s and Isa’s. But, at the same time, it’s also ‘different’ from the Radiant Garden you remembered.”

“How so?” Isa asked her.

She looked out. “This world is created from memories. That would include the people here as well. You might even see a memory copy of Ventus as well.”

Aqua took it all in. “So…this ‘world’ and its people are synthesized from our memories then,” she summarized.

“Yes,” Naminé nodded. “But it has a different ‘scenario’ depending on the thoughts of them.”

“So…” Lea tilted his head. “What you’re saying is that we could meet memory versions of certain people?”

Naminé nodded. “That’s how it works at least. Though, it will be similar to your experience in the Realm of Darkness.”

“I see…” Isa muttered.

Lea scratched his head. “So we’ll ‘see’ them, but it’ll be like communicating with their hearts through our memories then.” He pursed his lips. “…That’s going to be confusing.”

“It is,” Naminé said. “Though…unlike your memories, only the Heartless can materialize here.”

“So, no Unversed. Got it,” Lea nodded. He held up a finger. “But, uh…if you wanna know about us, please ask. I’d rather not you go poking around in our heads.”

Naminé noted it before looking away. “S-Sorry.”

“Hey, you were just curious,” Lea said. “Don’t worry about it. Besides, you should talk a bit more. Uh, if you want I mean.”

“Um…right.”

Isa sighed. “Well, let’s get through this labyrinth,” he said, jabbing his thumb at the direction.

-

The trek through the labyrinth was…interesting. The rules of the castle revolved around cards. Not just in battle, but of how one traverses the ‘world’. With a card known only as ‘Key of Beginnings’ – a gold card with a sigil of a Keyblade on it – the small group went off.

The battles were…interesting, to say the least. Considering that Lea and Isa were with Aqua, while they still fought with cards, they don’t necessarily have to ‘reload’ their deck. Defeating the Heartless yielded more cards to create ‘rooms’ – red, green and blue respectively, for different ‘scenarios’ that happen in them. The room could have a regular number of Heartless, or a lot of them, to even have them move very quickly, become stronger or weaker with certain red cards; strange effects could happen, like attack cards or magic cards becoming stronger, all cards could deal two times the damage or stun heartless longer with certain green cards; and treasures appearing, a ‘safe point’ or even anything could happen in a room with certain blue cards. It’s only be having a certain number of them, or even a card with a specific number could they go through certain doors that requires the card like the Key of Beginnings; it’s possible there may be other unique ‘card keys’ to progress further in the world.

They actually used the card onto a room – that has a crown over it – somehow ending up near the castle gates. Lea looked around. “Aside from how this place is, this is almost a perfect replica of the location we know.”

Isa nodded. “Yeah.” He looked towards the doors to the castle. “Dilan and Aeleus would be standing guard here.” He gave a soft laugh. “How many times did we end up getting caught and then tossed out? Dilan’s usually the one who does that, while Aeleus simply drops us on our feet and told us to leave.”

“Yeah, I remember that,” Lea nodded, feeling nostalgia wash over him. “The first time we had sea salt ice cream was when we tried to sneak in to see the ‘mysterious’ man Ansem took in.” He had his hands on his hips. “We had that treat after we were tossed out, yet again.”

“Right. From Scrooge’s store,” Isa nodded.

The two of them went silent, basking in nostalgia. Lea sobered a bit. “…Hey.”

“Yeah?”

Lea looked at Isa. “We’re going to rebuild Radiant Garden back to its former glory, one way or the other, right?”

Isa knew Lea didn’t have to ask that…but, Isa is just as determined to restore their home. So he nodded. “Of course.”

“Yeah.” Lea clenched his hand in determination. “That’s what we CAN do.”

Aqua nodded. It may not be her homeworld…but, she wants to do what she can to repair the damages she had unwittedly caused.

A new card appeared to them, with a unique heart sigil on it. The Key of Guidance.

As they go through, Aqua noted a large building in another part of town. She didn’t remember seeing it before. “What’s that building?” Aqua asked.

“That’s the orphanage, where we grew up,” Isa answered.

Aqua looked at them, surprised. “Really?”

“Yeah,” Lea nodded. “I wonder if we could go over there, though. I’d like to show you the place at least…”

Up ahead is another door, also with the crown over it. Interacting with it, it uses the Key of Guidance card. Filling it the criteria, they used the card to enter the room…

…And appearing within a new room. It’s large and spacious, having a lot of couches, cushions and such around.

“Oh. This feels lively,” Naminé noted, looking around.

Aqua hummed at that, looking around curiously. Though, she noted of how the two boys looked surprised. “Is something wrong?” She asked them.

“Uh…well, no, but…” Lea scratched his head. “…Didn’t expect our wish to be granted like that.”

Aqua noticed it. “So this is the orphanage?” She asked.

“Yeah,” Lea nodded. “This is the living room.”

“Funny we ended up here,” Isa mused.

“Is someone there?” A woman’s voice is heard. They looked over to see someone entering. A woman with brown hair in a bun, wearing a green dress and a white apron. She has a pair of black pants and brown boots. The woman noted the two boys. “Hm? Oh, Lea, Isa, there you two are.”

The two recognized her. “Oh, hey, Ms. Gainsborough,” Lea greeted. _‘Geez, I know she’s a memory but…’_

_‘So this is Elmyra,’_ Aqua thought.

“Where have you two been? You hadn’t been causing trouble, have you?” Elmyra asked them.

Isa shook his head. “No. We’re just showing these two around.” He gestured to Aqua and Naminé.

The brown-haired woman looked at the two. “I see. I hope they didn’t cause you any trouble.”

“Oh, not at all,” Aqua responded, shaking her head. “They’re good guides.”

“Ah, I see.” Elmyra looked back at Lea and Isa. “That said, I heard you actually went to Lord Ansem’s Castle. How did that go?”

Lea winced a bit. “…Well…about as well as you think,” he answered.

The woman frowned before sighing. “You two out to learn about settling down and let them do their work. But the day you two actually went to be apprentices…I thought you two went and got your lives together.”

The two winced, looking at each other guiltily. “…Well, we’re still kids,” Lea mumbled, scratching his cheek. “It’ll take more for us to settle down, really.”

“But…not everything went as well as you think,” Isa added, slumping his shoulders. He laced his fingers together. “We…” He couldn’t continue. How could he explain what had happened that day?

The woman regarded them…before sighing. “I should have figured something was odd about that man. Especially with that look in his eye. Some of the citizens disappeared in the name of ‘experimentation’.” The two gave confused grunts at that. “About what you two tried to look into…what you _nearly_ got involved with… I can tell just feeling it about you two!” She had a hand over her chest. “That man, Xehanort, caused a ruckus that day. We were able to get out but most of us are hiding out in the town.”

The two looked surprised. “Wait, so…are you…?!” Lea began.

“Yeah,” Elmyra nodded. “I’m her, but I’m not her at the same time. All I’m doing is speaking from the heart- to you. I guess a bit literally.” The woman looked around. “This place certainly ‘feels’ like the old orphanage, doesn’t it? But how we’re speaking to each other is pretty much how you remember me.”

Lea had a sad expression. “…So it is like Naminé said. It’s just like back then…”

Especially with what Terra had said to Aqua in the dark realm.

“…So…you’re okay?” Lea asked the brown-haired woman. “How did you even survive for this long?”

“Well, it was by luck that Merlin helped defend us,” Elmyra explained, “yet we ended up losing that book. I heard that a young man helped restore the book to what it was. Merlin called him ‘Sora’.”

Lea raised an eyebrow, shaking his head incredulously at it all. “Man that kid gets around…” He muttered. He then asked aloud, “I guess you only heard of it?”

“Afraid so.”

“I guess we owe Merlin,” Isa said to Lea.

“Yeah.”

“That said,” Elmyra spoke up, getting their attention back, “you two out to be careful. It might be how it feels like him, but you know what really happened, right?”

“Yeah. We know,” Lea nodded. “Take it easy, Ms. Gainsborough. Hopefully, we’ll run into you and the others for real.”

“Then take care you two. Wherever you are…you’ll always find a way home.”

The two gave small smiles at her, nodding. “Let’s go,” Isa said softly before the two soon head off. Aqua and Naminé, who had been silently watching, followed them out. Though…Aqua noticed Elmyra looking relieved as she walked off.

After they left the room…Lea wiped his eyes, with Aqua noticing. Knowing why, she asked him, “You must have been so relieved to know they’re okay, right?”

Lea sniffed, before nodding as tears ran down his cheeks. “Of course I am. Though, to be honest…I’m worried about Mr. Wallace’s reaction.”

“Yeah,” Isa muttered. He took a deep breath before exhaling. “Don’t know how that one will go, really.”

“Who is Mr. Wallace?” Aqua asked.

“Barret Wallace,” Lea explained. “Foul mouthed guy but he really cares about the people. He was up in arms about the rumors they heard after hearing something about the experiments.”

“He’s…an interesting fellow,” Isa finished, scratching his cheek. “But, once you get to know him, he’s not so bad.”

“How did the two of you meet him?” Aqua asked the two.

“That one’s a long story,” Lea answered. He pulled out a new card that appeared. It has the sigil of the Heartless on it.

The Key of Truth.

-

After going through the area more, they soon come into part of the town that’s in ruins. As they looked around in surprise, Naminé only looked around calmly. “This place…it’s starting to resemble the town you saw from recent memory…as if surviving an attack.”

“…You don’t say…” Isa muttered. Then, they heard:

“Hey, kid! Pull yourself together!” They looked over to the source in surprise, seeing a heavy set, and muscled, black man. He wore a vest, cargo styled pants and boots as he was looking over some rubble. “Gyah…no good…”

“That voice…” Lea muttered…before he looked surprised. “Mr. Wallace?!”

“Hm?” The man grunted before he turned to the source. He has a black tank under the vest with visible chest hair. He wore a pair of shades over his eyes. Those eyes took note of the red and blue-haired boys. “Lea, Isa! Where the hell have you two been?!”

Either of them was about to answer, to explain themselves…but their eyes locked onto something, their eyes going wide. “Uh…” the two droned.

In the place of his right forearm…is a mechanical limb with a gun attached. The man, Barret, noticed the stares before he held it up. “…Oh, you must be looking at this. Long story short – I lost my arm during the attack. Damn witch swarmed in with the Heartless, but I had to do somethin’ to make sure we don’t lose people!”

“You lost you-? Holy crap man!” Lea exclaimed in horror.

“Yeah…I ain’t exactly proud of it.” Barret shook his head. “Never mind me though! What happened to you two?!”

The two’s eyes glanced at each other. Lea looked back. “Well…long story short of our own, we were trying to do something for Ansem, but…things went awry. Only that wasn’t the Ansem you knew.”

Barret frowned. “you better start makin’ sense, kid.”

Isa sighed. “It’s Xehanort,” he answered, getting to the point. “He banished the real Ansem and took his name to cause this mess. If you think it’s weird for the Ansem you knew to do this, there’s your answer.”

The man noted it. “…Well, I’ll be damned…” He muttered. “So, that’s what happened.”

The two nodded to confirm.

Barret furrowed his brows with a grunt. “I always thought that Xehanort guy was weird,” he admitted. “He was making weird checks around places that researchers don’t usually be. But for that to happen, he must have gone shit off his rocker.”

Aqua made a bored look. “Can you please ease off on the vulgar language?” She asked, with Barret noticing.

“Uh, sorry little lady. Force of habit.”

“So, are you still kicking in this town?” Lea asked the man. “Or are you one of the people who managed to escape?”

“Well, I got saved by that wizard guy,” Barret answered. “Afterwards, Cid built me my new gun arm. As for your question, I had to. I heard what happened and came back but…” He gestured to the debris behind him, “I noticed someone stuck under here. He’s still breathing, just knocked out.”

The three tilted their heads at that. “Well, let’s get him out,” Lea shrugged before he went to the rubble. Isa and Aqua looked at each other, before shrugging. As they went to do so, Naminé stood there quiet. Soon enough, they moved the rubble…but who they saw under it took them by surprise.

“Ven?!” The three exclaimed in shock. Indeed, it is him…or rather, an illusion of him that was still sleeping.

“Why is he…?” Lea began at a loss.

…Isa’s eyes went wide a little, remembering something. “That’s right… Aqua, you left him behind here after telling him to go home. This is…” Isa looked around the area. “This is where we met him.”

“Oh. I guess…that part would remain the same, huh?” Lea mused as Aqua stared down at Ventus’ prone body.

Hm. Funny of how things just kind of…fell into place. She only intended for Ven to go back home. In the grand scheme of things, maybe him not going home immediately allowed him to meet these two boys. They also unwittedly inspired him to continue his journey. Though, thinking on it, even if Ven had never met the two, anything else could have had Ven continue his journey. Whether to ensure she and Terra would get the chance to patch things up once more…or something else.

She preferred him not to be antagonized further to go on rather than continue the journey for his own reasons. Still…

Aqua kneeled on the ground, before reaching out to feather his head. Yet when her hand connected to his head-

She suddenly saw a vision of Sora, sleeping in a field.

She automatically curled back, mostly in surprise. But it ended the vision she had.

“Are you okay?” Lea asked her.

Aqua had to take a moment to process on what she just saw. Once she did…did she answer, slowly. “…I…I just saw Sora. But, he’s asleep somewhere in a field…”

Lea raised an eyebrow. A field? Shouldn’t he be back at his world? He didn’t voice it out, just yet. “Huh. Go figure.” He crossed his arms. “So, uh, do you think you can find a way to contact him like this? Or…something?”

Aqua hummed. “…Maybe not,” she admitted. “Though…I could still try something.” She reached out to gently take Ventus’ hand in hers. She saw the vision of Sora once more, but she didn’t let that deter her. “Ven…I know where you are now…but don’t worry. We’ll do what we can to help protect you and Sora. Just…just do me this favor. Something I know that you can do. Help protect Sora as well, when he needs someone to help him the most, all right?”

She isn’t sure if there would be a response, but…she closed her eyes, sighing. “…I’m also sorry. For the things that happened the way they did. But, I’ll do what I can to help make things right. The two you met? Lea and Isa. They’ve been of great help to me. We’ll see this through, to the end.”

She was about to let go-

_“I forgive you.”_

Aqua’s eyes went wide. She looked at Ven in surprise. “Ven…” she breathed out.

…She made a soft smile, feeling relieved. _‘I know it’s a late apology but…I’m truly relieved.’_ Now she’s gotta fulfill her promise to him. She had her hands before her chest, sighing in relief.

After watching that, Barret looked at the two boys. “So…what’s the story with those two?”

“They’re friends,” Lea answered. “Long story short, they got into a fight once, but they didn’t exactly got the chance to make up.” Lea rolled his hand a bit. “Mostly due to lousy circumstances that…well, had a jerk of an old man take advantage of their creaky friendship.”

Barret raised an eyebrow. “Well, ain’t that a kick in the teeth.” He removed his sunglasses as Lea looked at Ventus’ body and rubbed his chin a bit. “Still, what happened to you two?”

“Well…let’s just say that the reason why we knew the truth is because…well, we were there when it happened,” Isa explained. “We saw how Xehanort truly was.”

“Huh…” Lea had knelt down to Ventus, his hand on his shoulder and muttering to him. Barret continued, oblivious to what Lea’s doing, “So that guy turned out to be a nutcase, eh? Ain’t that somethin’. Still, we gotta do whatever we can to fix up the place.”

“Yeah,” Isa nodded, agreeing.

“…Don’t worry,” Lea said aloud. “We’ll help when we need to. You can at least trust us.”

Barret stared, confused. “…Is that directed at me…or at him?”

Lea was about to let go of Ventus’ arm, before he heard:

_“Thanks Lea.”_

The red head noticed it…before he smiled. He stood up and looked to Barret. “I’m speaking to a friend too when I say this, but…to the both of you.” Let lets go.

“Huh. That right?” Lea nodded to Barret’s question.

“Yeah.”

“Still, looks like you guys got your own problems. But you better not slack with your pals and for us. Got it?”

“Yes sir!” The two answered.

“Heh… Good,” Barret nodded in approval. “Go do what you need to do first, got it? Then we’ll clean up our home!” He clenched his fist in determination.

“You got it,” Lea nodded.

“We’ll come over to help out whenever we can though,” Isa added.

Barret nodded. “Take care, you two.” He soon leaves the square, him and Ventus vanishing into light.

Lea looked at Isa. “…Just so you know, I spoke for the both of us. For Ventus.”

“Well, what if what I wanted to say was different?” Isa asked him.

Lea’s lips curled a bit at that. “…Then you can correct me later.”

Isa rolled his eyes, shaking his head. “Right. But, I think we’ve done all we can here. Let’s get out of here.”

-

After going through more rooms, they soon found a new area. It’s different from the other ones, leading outside to Radiant Garden. Lea looked around. “This entry way seems a bit…different.”

“That’s because it is,” Isa replied. “It must lead outside of the world.”

“Huh,” Lea mused, looking up. “I guess that makes sense.”

Aqua looked to them. “Shall we?” They nodded- Naminé jerked.

She turned- as something came running out. “Watch out!” She warned with them noticing.

For some reason, the blur ran right at Lea!

“What the-?!” Lea instinctively summoned his Keyblade to block an attack- and it had him skid back. Once he regained his footing, he looked at his attacker…but only to be bewildered.

Before him is…an unusual creature. The fur is red, the tip of its tail is one fire, golden cuffs around the paws…it looked like a lion…or a wolf? It has a headdress on it, tribal marks under its eyes, and a scar over its right eye. It has a mess of black…hair on it, with tattoos on its arms.

And from its stance, it’s in attack mode.

“What the hell are you…?” Lea muttered.

“Lea-!” Isa called out- but before they could do anything, a barrier appeared around the two.

“A barrier…?!” Aqua looked over at it in surprise. How come she didn’t sense this…thing, coming? And yet…Naminé did…?

Lea, meanwhile, looked around in surprise, before zeroing in on the…lion creature-thing as it growled (it growled like a lion, is it a lion?). _‘Did that thing make the barrier…?’_ Lea asked himself. His lips curled downward a bit; his eyes narrowed. “Okay…gotta beat you to get out of this…” He held his Keyblade over his shoulder. “All right, you asked for it, buddy.”

It crouched lower, growling. Lea braced himself- before it came at him.

The red-haired boy twirled his Keyblade, watching its movements. It swiped at him, him leaping back- but his eyes went wide a little before he was forced to block a few of its swipes. He jumped back again when it tried to bite at him. As he did, Lea launched a couple of fireballs at it. To his surprise, the creature merely weaved through them!

_‘It’s fast!’_ He thought as the fire spells hits the barrier. It moves as if it’s like…

He got back into the game, parrying a swipe at him. He used his lithe size to dodge some of the attacks. He swings his Keyblade to land a hit- but the creature used its tail to not just block the attack, but to also push him back. He has to have breathing room. Using the momentum of the knockback, he landed a couple of feet away. He erects a fire wall before him, to regain his breath a bit.

The beast looked over at the wall, eye narrowed. Something on its headdress glowed a soft blue color…and something materialized over it. And an ice chunk formed – with Lea surprised – before it shoots at the wall. It not only melts upon impact, but it also put out the fire. _‘It also knows magic?!’_ Lea mentally exclaimed in shock.

Just…what the hell IS this thing-?!

His body reacted for him to block yet another swipe at him- but he was a little slow as he got hit on the arm as he dodged. Thankfully, it wasn’t deep (with mentally cursing that he didn’t put up his aura), and he could deal with it later. For now though.

Lea spun his Keyblade before it formed into his chakrams. He got in close to the creature, swiping at it. It dodged his attacks, but he’s the one making it go on the defense right now. After he got it to a fair amount of distance, he threw the chakrams to the ground to make pillars of fire. The creature gave a look over at the pillars with a critical eye (literally) before Lea commanded the pillars to close in on it.

It made an explosion of fire upon impact. Lea’s chakrams returned to him, returning into their Keyblade form…but he didn’t celebrate just yet. His eyes narrowed, his guard up.

-And something soon shoots out of the fire made, landing on the ground. Parts of it is singed in some places but it was still able to move it seems. With a roar, fireballs appeared over it and shot them at Lea. With timing, Lea deflects the fireballs, quickly twirling his Keyblade to dispel the last one.

“Okay, magic won’t work much,” he muttered, Keyblade at his side. “Gotta go all in then.”

Taking it in both hands, he soon charged in, dodging a swipe at him, before he used his Keyblade to block a bite from it. However, Lea’s right hand was hit by its tail, making him instinctively curl it back to shake it- and it took that moment to leap back, snatching the weapon from him. “Hey!”

It flipped, throwing the Keyblade away to have it clatter somewhere else. It then came at him, forcing him to dance around its attacks. He stumbled over some, but quickly scrambled at others, whether to get away from the attacks or to get back onto his feet. _‘Wait, what the hell am I doing?!’_ He questioned himself.

Timing it right, he dodged to the side, before rolling over its back. With his hands having rings of fire around the wrists, he carried the momentum to crouch on the ground. He stood back up, making a ‘barrier’ of fire over his arms to block against a swipe to protect his face. He lunged forward, striking it with a punch, his ‘rings’ adding a bit of a kick to knock it back. It tried to whip him with its tail, but he moved his body just so to dodge it. Grimacing, he dismissed the ‘ring’ around his right wrist to recall his Keyblade to him-

“Oof!” The breath was knocked out of him when it headbutted into his stomach. He staggered, with the fire around the other wrist disappearing as he had a hand to his abdomen.

But it allowed the beast a few seconds it needs. Growling, it soon lunged forward. Lea’s eyes went wide and his hands, on reflex, reacted-

Flames unexpectedly materialized in his hand- and the monster bit into what they formed instead. Lea struggled with that for a moment before the two jumped back.

The boy then held up…a sword of solidified fire in his hands. “How the-?” Did I just make a sword of fire??” He exclaimed in shock-

And then Lea was suddenly tackled to the ground. The two tumbled before the beast pinned him to the ground, paws on his shoulders, and the fire sword out of Lea’s hand.

Lea heard his friends cry out his name in alarm, but he was focused at the lion/dog creature over him. It stared down at him with its single eye. Lea held his breath, sweating slightly…yet, all it did was stare at him. The boy found that he couldn’t look away from its gaze.

Finally, it narrowed its eye. “You are your mother’s child, all right,” it said with a male voice.

Lea blinked in surprise as it got off of him. “Huh?” He sat up, watching it go as the barrier lowered. He was more surprised on what it said, rather than the fact that it could _talk._ He stood up. “Wait, you know-?” it soon disappeared into nothing. He stared out, baffled. _‘…What…was that about…?’_

The three soon hurried to Lea, with Isa shaking him. “Lea!”

“Huh? Wha?” Lea blinked.

“Are you okay?” Isa asked him in worry.

“Uh…” Lea mumbled, uncertain of how to answer, “y-yeah. Just…surprised is all. Still…” He shook his head. “Did that… _thing_ seriously talk?”

“I’ve never seen it before,” Aqua admitted. “So…why would it be here?”

Naminé looked out in concern. _‘…That creature…it…connected to Lea?’_

Why is that? Does it know him?

Isa shook his head. “Well, we shouldn’t stay here long,” he decided.

Lea frowned, before nodding. “Yeah. We better bail.”

“Right, c’mon,” Isa said, looking at the females.

As they left, Lea looked at his hand. He curled his fingers a bit. He frowned. How the hell…did he even do that?

…Hm. Well, it would be better to figure it out later than to worry about it now.

He sighed.

_-_

The lion-like creature opened its eye. It sat up, looking up at the sky.

“…So your son still lives, Mila,” he murmurs to the sky. “He’s fortunate to escape what fate had befallen this world.”

His eye narrowed. “…But _they_ are still out there…”

-

The two opened the doors to the exit room within Castle Oblivion. Once they walked through, the doors closed behind them.

Lea crossed his arms. “What the heck was that thing though…I don’t remember that.”

Naminé shook her head. “No…but it must be connected to you.”

The three looked at her, blinking. “What makes you say that?” Isa asked her.

“I’m not sure, really,” Naminé admitted. “But…it was a strange connection it created. Perhaps…it wanted to see on where you are, Lea.”

Lea tilted his head. “Huh…it said something weird, too. Like…before he left, he said that I’m my mom’s child all right.”

“Did it know your mom?” Isa asked him.

“I dunno,” Lea sighed, scratching his head. “This is…confusing. That thing was all sorts of weird.”

Aqua shook her head. “I’m more surprised that it attacked us, right when we were in the exit room. There shouldn’t even be anything like that in there.”

The four grunted. A creature that connected to Lea…and the memory version of it basically ‘broke’ the ‘rule’ of the room in question to take on Lea. By why only him? Not only that…

Lea narrowed his eyes…before he blinked. “Hm?” He looked over at something.

…It looked to be a flicker of darkness appearing…before something began to form with the four noticing. “Hide!” Lea said to Naminé.

She looked surprised, before she went to hide behind one of the flowers decorated structures. The other three used them for cover as well, peering out. The dark ‘corridor’ fully materialized…before a strange man emerged from it. Once he was out fully, it closed behind him.

The man wore a cloak around him, his face covered by red bandages, excluding his mouth and his right eye. He has two belts intersecting over his face, as if keeping the bandages in place. The rest is mostly black with light colored sleeves, with a lot of pouches on the front. The man looked around…before he advanced. “So, this is where they are planning to continue their research,” he murmured. However, he stopped. He looked over his shoulder a bit. “…You best show yourselves. I can sense you in this room.”

They noted it before looking at each other. Lea held up his fist, with Isa giving him a ‘Really?’ look. Lea lowered his hand with his lips flat.

Isa peered out…before he sighed. He slowly emerged from the hiding place. The man noticed Isa, his single eye widening a little in surprise. Isa looked over at the man. “Who are you?” He asked.

“…Now, this is an interesting case. Are you perhaps either a heart that has returned to form…or perhaps…”

Isa narrowed his eyes…before a thought came to him. “…You’re probably talking about ‘him’ then. No, I’m the real Isa. If anything…the ‘him’ you’re thinking of is a replica that Even- well, Vexen made to replace me.”

“Hm…is that so?” The man mused.

Isa nodded. “Yeah. But, it isn’t just me that was replicated. Lea as well.”

Lea peered out before he emerged. “Yeah…” He regarded the man. “So…you got a name, stranger?”

The man regarded the two of them. Isa raised an eyebrow at how he was scrutinizing them. “…I have no name,” he answered. “Yet I refer to myself as ‘DiZ’. But, tell me…if you are what you say is true…where have you been, that required them to create copies of you two?”

The two boys looked at each other. Should they tell this strange man where they had been for the past nine years? Or not tell him anything at all. Yet, for Isa, the way the man looked over at them…did this man know them? Isa hummed. “…We were in the realm of darkness, until recently,” Isa answered. “We had been in there for nine years.”

The man hummed. “Interesting. So it seems that I’m not the only outcast who escaped the darkness.”

They blinked. ‘Escape the darkness’?

“…Were you also in there, too?” Lea asked him, surprised.

“You _could_ say that. But. It was not of my own volition,” the man’s expression hardened at the last word. “I was…sent there against my will.”

Against his will…?

Isa’s eyes went a little wide. Could this man be…?

“Who…sent you there?” Lea asked him, oblivious to Isa’s thoughts.

The man frowned. “…People I thought I could trust. Rather…five were turned against me, to help a traitor send me there.”

Isa let out a sound. “Then, you’re-!?”

“Isa?” Lea blinked at him, as the man looked at him curious when Isa cut himself off.

Isa shook his head. “I mean…you must have been pretty resilient to last as long as you did, to escape all on your own,” he said to the man. “Xehanort and the other adults told us ‘kids’ that Lord Ansem had gone mad, and abandoned us…yet, I felt that they had banished him away, when he caught on to what they were doing and tried to stop them. With what we had went through, and your case…you were banished to the same place Lea and I escaped into…or someplace connected to the dark realm.”

Lea blinked at him in confusion, while DiZ simply watched on silently.

“Still…we figured that you might be still alive…though, it looked like you rescued yourself. But…even you changed a little,” Isa’s shoulders slacked. “Master Ansem.”

DiZ’s eye went wide, as Lea blinked. Then Lea’s eyes went wide in surprise, looking between Isa and DiZ. DiZ hummed, his eye softening a little. “You certainly are a sharp one, Isa.”

Lea looked back at Isa, pointing at DiZ. “That’s…Ansem? For real?”

Isa nodded at him. “Yeah. Looks like we were right.”

“Holy crap…” Lea muttered, surprised.

The two looked up as DiZ approached them. Moving his hands, the man began removing the bandages over his head. Wisps of darkness came off of him, showing his blonde hair and beard, fair skin and light brown eyes. “So, the two of you ended up in a situation of your own,” he said.

Well, no kidding. From nearly getting killed by Xehanort to become Nobodies, dealing with certain dangers within the dark realm, from Heartless, their own Phantoms that time…it was honestly crazy of how they had survived all of that. But what of Ansem? Did he go through what they did? Or…did he go through worse? Were his memories affected? Did he nearly lose sight of who he was? So many questions Isa wanted to ask, and yet… Now isn’t the time. There would be more to talk about later.

“Well…it’s…an odd story to explain, really,” Isa admitted, choosing his words carefully. How much could they tell Ansem? “I didn’t know how to describe what happened on that fateful day all too well…” he sighed, “But, it didn’t change the end result. We lost nine years’ worth of our time in that place.”

The man hummed. “So it seems,” he said, regarding the two. The two could get that. They hadn’t aged at all within the dark realm. Time had no meaning. What may be hours, or days, could be months or even years. And it seems that Ansem had hardly changed himself…excluding the slightly pointed ears. Had Ansem tapped into darkness himself…? But, it made sense; what other way to escape than to use the darkness itself? Isa didn’t know what would have happened if he uses it…so, he hadn’t tapped into it. “Still,” Isa returned to attention when Ansem spoke again, “it is a miracle that you had managed to survive as long as you had.”

“Well…it wasn’t exactly…pleasant, per say,” Lea spoke up, scratching his head. “I mean…we also changed as well in there. We only managed to get through that because we had help. From someone else who was also trapped in the dark realm.” It was at that moment that Aqua and Naminé slowly emerged from their hiding spot.

“Hm…I could hardly imagine,” the man mused, before regarding the two females. “And, you are?”

“Aqua, sir,” the woman responded. “You’re Ansem the Wise?”

The man noted it before shaking his head. “That was my name…but, I call myself DiZ now.”

Lea noted it. “…I guess, since Xehanort stole your identity, you call yourself that, huh?”

“And you’d be right,” the elder responded.

Lea’s lips went flat. _‘Geez…how many people are screwed over by that old coot?’_ He asked himself. He mentally shook his head. “Well…right. I guess we gotta call you ‘DiZ’ until later. Don’t want to let those guys know.”

The man hummed at that. “…I would appreciate it,” he said. He had darkness cover his face once more, carefully wrapping the bandages around his head once more.

As he did so, Isa explained to him, “We were trying to decipher the truths for ourselves.” He thought about what he should say next – should they tell him the true identity of the young man he had taken in? …Actually, he deserves to know. But Isa didn’t know EVERYTHING in the grand scheme of things; other questions of why Braig would willingly work with Xehanort. He would have to omit certain things then, until he knows more. “…Such as the man you took in. Aqua is familiar with Xehanort as well. Turns out, it was her friend, who had been possessed by another through his heart. Literally.”

DiZ raised an eyebrow. “Is that so?”

And so, the two explained the story to him, DiZ patiently waiting as their story unfolded. Of how they escaped the fate the other apprentices shared by pure chance, running into Aqua who had been tricked into taking the place of her possessed friend. They had wondered through the darkness, searching for a way out, while learning to fight under her. After they were sent to the depths, they had ran into Mickey by pure chance, and helped him find the Keyblade of the dark realm to seal the door to darkness. It was also through Mickey that they had learned of how time doesn’t move in the dark realm. Ten years had gone by for Aqua, but nine had passed for Lea and Isa.

“…So, the two of us are under training to know how to use our Keyblades, uh, better, to at least defend ourselves from the group Xehanort’s Nobody made,” Lea finished up. “…So, we had to infiltrate here to know what they’re gonna do. And here we are.”

They waited as DiZ took it all in, humming.

Lea scratched his head. “…Yeah. Not…very fantastic. But, we can’t just sit around. We’re involved in this, since we met the girl they called Subject X.”

DiZ noted it. “The girl?” He asked. “Is she the reason you two became apprentices in the first place?”

“Well…yes,” Isa admitted, looking away. May as well admit to that, considering they were more concerned with her than the research they were doing. “We just wanted to know what happened to her. That’s all.”

“I see…” DiZ said softly. He sighed. “I apologized that you two wasted your time for naught. It was through her and Xehanort, that I demanded the experiments to be stopped. We were researching the heart, to see the dangers of darkness. To keep Radiant Garden safe. But when I saw such…terrible darkness from Xehanort, I had to stop it. I had thought it was the end of it…but, they had kept it going without my knowledge. After I had to order them to cease it, I also ordered their test subjects to be released. I did not know where the girl went. Yet…I could surmise that it was Braig, rather, ‘Xigbar’ as he calls himself now, would possibly know.”

“That guy…” Lea muttered, thinking about the man with the eyepatch. He frowned…before sighing. “Well, whatever happened, happened. Can’t change that.”

Aqua looked at them before at DiZ. “So…why are you here? Is it because this is an outpost for that group?”

“Yes,” the man nodded. “For what it’s worth, they call themselves Organization XIII.”

Lea and Isa’s faces went flat at that…before Lea palmed his face, groaning. They gave inquisitive looks to the boys. “…Sorry,” Lea said. “It’s just…we figured that’s what they called their group too.” He looked at Isa. “Are we seers, Isa?”

“No, but that was a hell of a coincidence,” Isa responded, his face flat.

Lea was about to say something- but thought better of it, before shaking his head. “No. I’m not gonna jinx it. Anyway, continue. Sorry about that.”

DiZ hummed…before regarding Naminé. “…And the girl?”

Naminé hid behind Aqua, peering at him. “We think she’s the Nobody of Kairi when Sora released her heart,” Isa answered. “As for Aqua, she’s the master of this castle. She was able to navigate and change the layout to hide out here.”

DiZ hummed. “Interesting…” he muttered.

“So…you just found your way in?” Lea asked him.

DiZ looked around the white hall they’re in. “This castle is connected to the darkness – the realm between. It seems that you have founded yourself in a part they can traverse to.”

“…Well, we just used a different way,” Lea admitted, shifting his eyes away with the corner of his lips quirking a little.

“Clearly.” DiZ regarded the two, recalling of how they were when they first came to him to become apprentices. “But, it seems that you have undergone your own growth.” The boys looked at him. “Your dispositions are different from when you became apprentices.”

Lea shrugged. “Well, going through the realm of darkness, especially when they have your ‘doubts’ manifest can do that to you.” He shook his head. “It was literal hell down there.”

“That, I will not disagree,” DiZ said. “But you seem to hold yourself well to them.” He regarded Naminé. “Though, do not worry about the girl. I’ll at least keep watch-”

“Uh, actually?” Lea cut in, but he held up his hand, “Not to be rude, but…why not have us protect her? You might be able to manifest the Dark Corridors, Master Ansem, but…” He summoned his Keyblade with Isa. “We can fight back. We’ve met Mickey, sir. He and Master Aqua taught us to fight.”

“I know. But, though you may have that, it would attract trouble to you, wouldn’t it?” DiZ asked them. “Organization XIII aren’t like Heartless, after all.”

Hm. He has a point. Heartless are creatures driven by instinct – they’re easy to handle. But the named Organization XIII? They’re made up of people. Smart, intelligent. Nothing like the Heartless at all.

Isa huffed at that. “I guess. But, we need all the allies we can get, to face them. There’s Mickey, but he’s still in the Dark Realm. Probably with Riku, as well. We don’t know Sora’s location yet, and…well, our choice of allies is limited at best, really.” There is Leon’s group, but they aren’t sure on how strong its members are.

DiZ hummed thoughtfully, rubbing his chin a little. “Perhaps so.”

“Yeah. And besides, those guys are probably going after Sora too,” Lea said. “And they’ll probably use Naminé’s powers to do it.”

DiZ noted that. “Hmm…if that is their objective, perhaps…” He hummed, thinking. “Then…perhaps we could form an alliance?” He held up a hand. “Our enemy is Xehanort, after all. Though you two are in training, you might need more than skill to investigate them more.”

“An alliance, hm?” Lea muttered, thinking. What Ansem- er, DiZ said is true. Xehanort is their enemy. He had taken over Aqua’s friend, he’s after Sora and Ventus, and he’s still after the Keyblade War itself. His Heartless had failed, but…his Nobody will be tricky. Especially if he had convinced them of the lie that Nobodies have no hearts. Without any hearts… Lea shook his head mentally. Don’t think about that, Lea. “Right. Well, considering that Xehanort took over Terra, and is trying to go after Sora…” He looked at the others. “What do you think? Should we work with him?”

“Why are you asking us?” Isa asked him.

“Well, I want everyone’s consent on this,” Lea answered. “Sora doesn’t even know about this group and is mostly in the dark. If we run into him, we’ll tell him about it all. Though…sooner or later, he’s going to come here, since he’s basically stranded.”

Isa hummed. “True…we can’t have Sora fall into their clutches…” And neither could they let Ven’s body fall into their hands as well. But they still have Sora’s Nobody. Would it be enough to have Sora be safe…?

Aqua thought about it herself. “…I say we go for it,” she said. “We honestly have no idea what we’re up against. We can have information about them, yet neither of us had any prior experience in facing them. We still need to watch for their movements anyway.”

Isa grunted. Well, she has a point. Simply getting better wouldn’t be enough to face the Organization. Who knows on what they could do. After a few moments of deliberation…Isa sighed. “All right,” he said. “We’ll have an alliance.”

“Well, I guess that’s it then,” Lea said, hands on his hips. “I’m all for it too.”

“Then, it’s unanimous,” Aqua nodded. They turned to DiZ. “We accept your offer.”

DiZ had been watching them for a while as they talked it out. They seem to know that their enemies aren’t to be taken lightly; and that there is a lot at stake. “Very well then,” DiZ nodded, extending his hand for them to shake. Aqua grasps his hand- and Lea and Isa did so as well.

“What? We all agreed, didn’t we?” Lea asked.

DiZ’s lips quirked a little, amused, before they awkwardly shook their hands. They soon drew away.

“All right, we got a deal,” Isa said. “But…while we’re on that subject,” he looked at Naminé, “try not to be mean to her. We’re probably the first bit of company that’s been good to her. I doubt the other members of the Organization were…well, more on research and everything, than being ‘nice’.”

DiZ glanced at Naminé, the girl nervous. “…I see. Truth be told, I have my own reasons to be down here. Mostly to do with the nature of the boy whose body was taken over by Xehanort. Rather, his Heartless.”

The two noticed it. “…Riku,” the boys said.

“I hope he’s okay,” Lea said.

“He’s with Mickey, so he isn’t alone at least,” Isa responded. “But…that’s not the main problem is it?”

DiZ shook his head. “The main problem is a ‘scar’ on his heart. He still carries the Heartless’ shadow within him. It would be a difficult endeavor for him, to not face that part of him. Though…I will do what I can to help guide the boy. The case of Sora, however, will be on you as well.”

“I see. So you’re going to help him confront the shadow of that Heartless?” Aqua asked him. DiZ nodded. “I see.” Aqua hummed. “Hopefully we’ll have time. For now though, we should leave. We made a passage, but we may need to make more ‘paths’ to get around.”

“Yeah. We should probably get out of here,” Lea nodded.

The three began to leave- until Naminé spoke up. “Um. Do you know where to go?” She asked them.

“Who, us?” Lea asked her. She nodded. “Well, back to a tower we’ve been training at for the past few days. But, don’t worry. Between heading back home to help rebuild and such…hopefully we could take the time to visit.” He paused before looking at Isa. “If that’s okay with you.”

Isa shook his head…but appreciated him asking for consent. Isa gave a smile at her. “Yeah. We’ll visit when we got the time.”

The girl looked surprised…before she smiled. “Of course.”

DiZ nodded. “I will keep watch as well.”

Lea hummed, scratching his head. “So, uh…we might need to come up with something to help you let us know if anything happens. Like a way to send a mess…” An idea came to him. “Hey…” He looked at Naminé. “You can use your powers on us since we’re connected to Sora, right?”

She noted it. She hummed in thought. “I think I can. Why?”

“Well, if you think there’s trouble, you can send us a message by using your power, right? Just in case, you know?” Lea responded. “We’ll try to help you out.” He tapped his temple with a smirk. “Got it memorized?”

Naminé nodded, smiling. “…Right!” She pressed the tips of her fingers together. “Actually, it does gives me an idea on how ot communicate with you.”

“Nice.”

“Well, then we best be off,” Aqua announced. “Be safe, you two.”

“Same to you,” Naminé replied.

“All right. Later,” Lea held up a hand to her before the three soon left.

DiZ watched them go, humming. “…Those two had come to a truth that not even I had realized…” He muttered.

Still…

This would be…very interesting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if I lost the spirit of Kingdom Hearts here. Parts of it felt rushed but...knowing of it is one thing, but it's another in actually SEEING it, right? 
> 
> Also, DiZ popping in here this soon - if we're following the timeline I found on YouTube - is an affect of the changes to come. Some things could have something pop in earlier than they're meant to. But though he was asked to be nice to Namine...it won't be an overnight change here. It'll take him some time to get over his bias of Nobodies, and he won't stop his vengeance against his apprentices. He at least knows that Lea and Isa aren't among the 'traitors' that sided with Xehanort. But. Yeah. 
> 
> I could have done a bit better with it, as well as the fight scene between Red XIII and Lea. Hopefully I could get better. Honestly, this was done by the help of my friend. Though, by the rest, I would mostly do these on my own. But we'll see.
> 
> Be safe everyone, and stay healthy!


	3. Dream Eater

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> PTSD sucks for everyone. A bit of a nap has a run-in with something thought extinct. What became a fetch quest spiraled downwards.
> 
> (And it can be sneaky like that. Also, a wild Vanitas appears!)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The idea behind the chapter was inspired by another story called 'Sunlight' from Archive of Our Own; where Isa got a Dream Eater to handle his nightmares. (Go read it, it's pretty good. I forgot the name of the author. Fuck.) Honestly, this was meant to be a bit of a fetch quest but...yeah. It spiraled down from there. 
> 
> As for why it took this long for their PTSD to kick in...well, it could pop in when you least expect it. I know it kind of goes against the lore of Castle Oblivion here, but...it's a weird place. While the game has that weird mechanic with the cards, sometimes it could trigger things. Reminders and such. That shit never goes away, you know - it's treatable but it won't go away. In Kingdom Hearts III, Aqua still had the 'scars' from the Realm of Darkness. It'll take actual time for her to be...well, okay. Not trying to be an ableist here, but I really do hope this girl gets that help. Anyways...
> 
> I originally had this to take place, well, 'three days' in the Secret Forest...but I changed it to a few days. Just to make it apparent. Enjoy!

_They were fighting the Demon Tower. They had attacked it for a while, and it didn’t seem to be going down._

_The relay had worked out so far. Yet so many Shadows are still keeping it standing tall._

_Yet…Lea missed a step, and the Keyblade fell out of his reach. In that span of a second, the Demon Tower surged at him, consuming him._

_He couldn’t scream as they clawed him. A sharp pain came from his chest. He groaned as something was pulled out from him-_

Lea’s eyes snapped open; he’s lying on the bed, covered in cold sweat. He pushed himself up, covering his face. He looked at the clock in the room. It’s 4:35 in the morning. He groaned. _‘Not again…’_ he mentally groaned.

It’s been three days since they left Castle Oblivion. Three days since the nightmares began to manifest (at least in the Secret Forest). The first time, he woke up screaming. The next few times, it scared him so much, he couldn’t afford to go back to sleep. It didn’t help that within this ‘world’ Merlin made for them, it feels like longer than the three days out there.

The nightmares he had were always of different…scenarios that could have happened. Either of them would trip, and it would be him or Isa that would get killed by Xehanort. The Heartless that attacked him at the Dwarf Woodlands decided to take his heart then and there, instead of just tossing him into the mines. Phantom Aqua going for him, and cutting him down, or even target Isa or Aqua. Killed by a Darkside, etc., etc.…

The nightmares are affecting his sleep. And as a result, affected his training.

…But, it wasn’t just him, he noticed. Isa and Aqua were also affected as well if the bags were evident under Aqua’s eyes.

_‘Is our time down there affecting us now…?’_ Lea asked himself, running his hands over his face. _‘Why now, of all times?’_

…Did Castle Oblivion have something to do with this? You end up ‘forgetting’ how to fight…but, when you leave, it’s like you hadn’t forgotten how to do so at all. Did they just…remembered the time they had spent down there? It made them remember?

Ugh…at this rate, he can’t even go back to sleep. He rubbed his face, mulling it over. Huffing, he got out of bed.

He made his way to the small kitchen the cottage they’re staying in is at. He walked to the table and sat down, leaning onto it. He didn’t know how long he had been lying there, trying to fall asleep…yet, today had to be the day that he couldn’t go back to sleep. Even at the table.

After a long while, he raised his head when he heard footsteps. Isa walked in…but he looked as exhausted as Lea looked. “…Can’t sleep?” He asked.

Lea sighed, slumping his head back down. “Nope.”

“Shame,” Isa muttered, sitting down. He heaved a tired sigh. “…Aqua and I are starting to suspect our visit to the castle brought back certain memories.”

Lea mumbled into the table. Isa gently lifted his head a little. “Sorry.” Lea yawned. “Is Aqua blaming herself for this?”

Isa sighed. “Well…we talked about it. We couldn’t have known this would have happened.” He rubbed his forehead. “Of all times, why now…?

“I dunno…” Lea folded his arms to cradle his head. “What time is it?”

“6:30.” He looked over at Lea. “How long have you been up?”

“For two hours,” Lea answered. “…Been having a nightmare on and off last night.”

Isa grunted, leaning against the table.

Soon enough, Aqua joined them. She looked between the two tiredly. “…Didn’t sleep well?” She rhetorically asked them.

They grunted. Aqua tiredly sighed before sitting at the table with them. Lea looked up at her. “…I’d say something, but I don’t need to,” he said, looking at the bags under her eyes.

Aqua grunted, closing her eyes.

The three then jumped when Merlin appeared via magic. He noticed the three of them. “Ooooh dear.” He fixed his glasses. “Master Yen Sid was worried that this would happen.”

“Ab-” Lea yawned. “About what?”

“The realm of darkness is treacherous for a reason. While you had undergone your own growth, unfortunately the narrow experience and constant exposure seems to have seeped into your dreams. While you recovered from your grieving, it seems that your bad experience with the Heartless has been ringing fresh in your mind. Perhaps it was too soon for you to return without proper recovery.”

Isa frowned, grunting. “…So, even outside, our dreams are affected by darkness…” Isa sighed. “Terrific.”

Lea groaned, covering his face. “We can’t fight like this…we’ll be exhausted by the time those guys get there…”

“Though…why are we suddenly having these dreams?” Aqua asked Merlin. “We didn’t have this until we visited Castle Oblivion.”

“Well, it was once said that memories are carried by dreams, which are carried by sleep, and in sleep it carries darkness. Because you were calling in your memories from the Dark Realm, they become a part of your sleep manifested. An…unconscious thought you hadn’t dealt with without support.”

“So you’re saying our minds began to turn what we experienced into something worse,” Isa summarized, annoyed. Ugh. Why are minds so evil?

“Well, you aren’t wrong,” Merlin conceded. He fixed his glasses. “But, because you lack said support, we perhaps what we need is elsewhere. Come now- we must speak with Master Yen Sid. Perhaps it is time to see if we can enact something.”

The two boys grumbled, Lea rubbing his eyes.

Aqua sighed. _‘Hopefully, he knows something that could help,’_ she thought.

The four are now within the Sorcerer’s Loft, having been teleported there via Merlin’s magic. Yen Sid regarded their condition, with Lea yawning. He sighed through his nose. “It is as Merlin said. Because your harrowing experience within the dark realm, you lack proper meditation to your recent experiences. It was unwise to send you all for training without proper necessities.”

Isa was tired, he didn’t care about having his pride up, looking down in shame. “Well…we were the ones who got too hasty.” They weren’t sure how much time they have until they need to investigate Organization XIII within the castle. For all they know, they may not have a lot of time.

Yen Sid grunted. “Perhaps so. Though…in order to have you be able to handle the nightmares, on your path to recovery…perhaps what you need is a new companion to help with it.”

“A new companion?” Aqua asked.

“In the age of fairy tales, Keyblade users have a companion by them, to protect them,” Yen Sid explained. “They are beings known as ‘Dream Eaters’.”

“Dream Eaters?” Lea parroted.

“Creatures that could either devour nightmares – known as Spirits – or even cause them, appropriately named Nightmares,” Yen Sid explained. “They exist within a ‘realm’ not normally accessed, the Realm of Sleep. And yet, one particular breed had disappeared from it. As for why it did,” he shook his head, “even I do not know. It’s disappearance unfortunately disappeared with the secrets of the lost Keyblade masters.”

Isa had to fight off a yawn. “A particular breed?” He parroted.

“They’re simply known as ‘Chirithy’ – different from most Dream Eaters, as they’re created to be said companions for Keyblade users. Any other Spirit Dream Eater can fulfill their role, but Chirithy is unique for a reason, able to exist outside of the Realm of Sleep. At least, without certain assistance.”

Aqua mulled it over (as much as her sleep addled brain could allow anyway). “…So…we need a Dream Eater to solve at least ONE part of the problem…is that what you’re saying?”

“That is correct,” Yen Sid nodded. “…Alas, even I do not know the means to summon one now.”

Lea and Isa groaned, slumping. The adults couldn’t help but sympathize. The boys are finding that they couldn’t keep their eyes open for long now…

“…Well, we need to think of something,” Aqua said. “We could-” She was cut off when the boys slumped to the ground. She looked surprised…but, they’re only asleep. Leaning against each other with Lea snoring.

A moment of silence went by, the only sound of Lea’s snoring heard.

“…Well!” Merlin cleared his throat, fixing his glasses. “Eh…hopefully they could get a restful sleep. They need it after all.”

Yen Sid sighed with Aqua.

-

…When Lea opened his eyes, there was darkness. But…something’s strange. It didn’t feel…intimidating. He looked around. “…Wasn’t I…at the tower?” He asked himself. “Did I fell asleep?”

He didn’t remember doing that. Maybe he was more tired than he thought- Wait. If he’s asleep, then…shouldn’t there be a dream or something?

…Now that he noticed it, there’s a light under him too.

He looked down.

He’s standing on top of his ‘station’. It’s still the same, but it has the image of Aqua and Naminé in the circles. “Huh. Been a while since I was here,” he muttered. “But…why am I here?” This doesn’t make sense. Why would he appear within his ‘mind’?

Sighing, Lea looked up…and blinked, making a confused grunt. There’s something in the distance. He squinted his eyes. What is that? It’s light, obviously, but…

…Something told him to go over there. But how…?

An odd sound reached his ears. It took him a few moments to process it, but…when he did, he was only confused.

Water…? He looked around to try to find the source. He then felt his feet wet. He looked down. There’s water over his feet. He lifts a foot. “What the…? Where did the water come from?”

…Well, whatever. He looked back up to the light. He should try to…get to that light.

Furrowing his brows, he took a step- and the water began to recede suddenly with him noticing. He looked up- and a huge wave came right at him.

_‘What the hell is going-?’_ Lea shook his head. _‘Ugh! This is weird enough already! I gotta get to that light!’_

…Though, it feels stupid to try to fight against it, but…screw it! Lea braced himself and ran to the light.

The water soon crashed over him. The next thing he knew, he was suddenly in deep water. He tumbled in the undertow, holding his hands over his mouth in surprise. He looked around a bit…then noticed the light shining above him. The surface? Not questioning it, he had his lips pressed tightly before he swam to the surface.

He soon breaches the surface, gasping…and pulled himself out. He panted, catching his breath. As he regained his breath, he opened his eyes…and noted a reflective surface under him. The surface is…also water. A bright, blue sky is reflected off of the surface.

Blinking, he raised his head…and his eyes went wide, jumping to his feet. The water splashed under him. Everything around him is a large blue sky over him. He can’t see over the horizon. Nothing but clouds and the reflective, yet oddly solid water, as far as the eye could see.

Lea looked around, bewildered. “…Where am I…?” He asked himself- before the surface near him was breached, with him jumping.

His head jerked to the source. To his surprise, it was Isa, who emerged himself, panting.

“Isa?!” Lea exclaimed in surprise. He hurried over to help him up.

Isa regained his breath, looking at him. “Lea? What are you doing here?”

“I could ask you the same thing, but…” Lea looked around. “Where is… ‘here’?”

The blue haired boy noted it, before looking around. “…What the…?” He muttered. He moved away from Lea, looking around.

The two walked, the water softly splashing under them. “…Where do you think we are?” Lea asked.

“I dunno,” Isa responded.

Lea looked up at the sky. “Well…either this place is real…or just a really weird dream I’m having right now.”

“But, I’m here, and you’re here,” Isa pointed out. “We both fell asleep but…we’re…not dreaming?”

Lea looked at him. “Wait. You also fell asleep?”

“Yeah,” Isa nodded. “I ended up at my Station of Awakening…there was a light, and water appearing…”

Lea’s eyes went wide, turning to face him. “Wait. You too?”

Isa’s eyes went wide. “…Even you?”

“Yeah!” Lea nodded. “What was that about? We ended up at our stations, and then…here?” He held his arms out. “What’s up with that?”

Isa just gave a helpless shrug.

Lea lowered his arms. He looked out. “…Well. It’s a nice place though, all things considered.”

“Yeah,” Isa nodded, looking out as well. The two enjoyed a moment of calm the place offered. Wherever this place is, at least it’s nice-

_“Huh. This is an unusual circumstance.”_

…The two stood there in silence as they registered the new voice. It was small and…kinda squeaky?

“…Huh?” Lea meeped out. The two looked around.

_“Been a while since this place has visitors. Did you two wonder here on accident?”_

“…Who are you?” Isa asked. “WHERE are you?”

There was silence. The two looked at each other, wondering if they both imagined it.

Suddenly, the same voice is making silly noises (that’s…decidedly cute for some reason)- as there’s a light above them. They looked up to see that light descending down to them. It hovered over the surface of the water (with there being ripples). Then, it erupted in a bright light, the two recoiling from it, making them cover their eyes. And when the light ended, and they lowered their hands…the two stared dumbly at it.

It's cat-like, with the fur grey with black stripes on it, the ears folded like a Scottish Fold. The muzzle is white with a small pink nose and blue eyes. It has a white underbelly, and white around its stubby hands and feet. It has a pink coin purse hanging around its neck, with a white star emblem on the front, and it wore a small white cape with the collars shooting out a little.

…It looks…doll-like, with how the eyes are.

It hovered over the ground, covered in spores of light before lightly landing on the ground. “The name’s Chirithy,” it introduced itself. “And this is the Final World.”

“…Uh,” Isa droned out. He gestured to himself, as Lea stared at it, “I’m Isa. That’s Lea.” He then took note of the last part. “And…the Final World?”

“It’s a place where those who died of natural means – both body and heart – arrive,” Chirithy explained. “They pass on naturally, but there are occasions where they persist and arrive here.” It scratched its head at them. “Though…in your case, sleep and death can practically ‘touch’ by the edges and one can’t help the occasional crossover. If you two are still kicking, then you two probably arrived here from your Stations of Awakening. That can happen from time to time.”

Isa scratched his head a little, with Lea still staring at it. “…So, it’s sort of the after-life?”

“That’s right,” it nodded. “But don’t worry. You’ll return to your bodies easily.”

“I see…” Isa muttered. “Well, that’s good to know.” What an odd creature though. What is it doing-? Wait. It called itself ‘Chirithy’. “Wait. You said your name is…?” He trailed off as Lea approached it.

Chirithy blinked up at him. “What?”

Lea crouched down, still staring at it. He reached his hands out…and grabs it underneath the armpits. Something sharp went through his mind.

_Soft. Plush! FLUFFY…!_

The boy gasped sharply. “Oh…my…GAWD!” He quickly stood up, holding it up in his hands (and Chirithy could have sworn it saw stars in his eyes). “It’s so soft and fluffy…!” He squee’d, before hugging it (with Chirithy freaked out).

Isa couldn’t help but stare as Lea giggled like a little kid, nuzzling his cheek onto its head, oblivious to Chirithy’s cries for help. But…he had a bored smile forming on his face. He had forgotten that Lea has a thing for…cute things. It’s been a while since he’s seen Lea act like this though. It feels…refreshing for some reason, seeing that.

“H-Hey! Don’t just stand there!” Chirithy cried out, as Lea wiggled in happiness. “Get him to let me go!”

Isa slightly shook his head, before approaching. “Lea…”

Lea turned to Isa with a smile. “Isa! Feel him! His fur is so soft!” He held up the Chirithy to Isa.

Isa stared at the Chirithy for a moment. “…Maybe later,” Isa responded. “First, put him down. He’s not yours.”

“Aw…” Lea moaned, but he set the small creature down.

Chirithy sighed. “Thank you. I honestly didn’t expect that,” he said, scratching his head.

“Sorry. My friend has a fondness for ‘cute’ things,” Isa explained. “Like cats and dogs for instance.”

“Well, then he should meet a Meow Wow,” Chirithy said. He looked at the two. “Anyways, is there something wrong? Why did you appear at your Stations?”

“Well…first off, you’re called ‘Chirithy’, right?” Isa asked him. “You’re a Dream Eater from the Age of Fairy Tales. What’s a member of the supposed ‘extinct’ breed doing here?”

Chirithy noted it. “Oh, so you heard of that, huh?” He scratched his head. “Well…for why I’m here, I’m just waiting for someone.”

“You are?” Lea asked, tilting his head curiously.

“Yeah. See, he’s a friend of mine. He’s just…a little lost right now – both in memory and sleep,” Chirithy explained. “I was waiting to meet him here. But…you two seem to be troubled.”

The two looked at each other. “…Well… we heard about you,” Isa said to Chirithy. “Well, at least the Chirithy breed. They disappeared from the Age of Fairy Tales.” He has his hands on his hips. “…It must have been sheer luck that this happened.”

“Oh. Well…it’s a long story,” Chirithy said as Lea rubbed his chin. “But the short version of it is, since Keyblade users adapt after the war…there was…hardly a reason for most of us to be around.”

“…I see,” Isa muttered.

“Though…the two of you look like you can definitely need a Dream Eater yourselves,” Chirithy remarked, looking at the two. “You look fine, but…I can sense certain scars about you two.”

“Well…let’s put it this way: being in the realm of darkness sucked,” Lea answered with Chirithy noticing it.

“Hoo boy…” The Dream Eater slumped a bit. “I think I can see where this is going. So you two need some help from Dream Eaters, huh?”

“Yeah. Well, there’s also someone else who needs a Dream Eater too,” Lea spoke up. “Handling our nightmares are one thing, but…well, some of us do need therapy, or guidance…or both. But, mostly therapy for us.”

“Yeah…” Isa muttered, glancing away. “Nightmares are one thing, but…we were hasty, considering the Organization.”

The Dream Eater noted it. “Oh. You felt that you need to get ready…okay, I see what happened,” Chirithy said. “Though, you can’t be ready mentally as you are now.”

“Of course not,” Lea responded. “But…”

Chirithy noted it. He hummed. “…In that case, I got an idea. Hold on a second.” He turned around, his back to them. The two glanced at each other as the Dream Eater grunted a couple of times. “Ouch…!” They looked back at him when they heard his small yelp. “Okay…I think I’m okay… This oughta work. But…just to be sure…” He patted himself, mumbling to himself. “Okay. Good.” He soon turned back to the two, before handing them two glowing pieces. “Here.”

The two blinked before they took the pieces. “What are these?” Lea asked.

“Well, pieces of me that you two could use to make a pair of new Chirithys,” Chirithy answered, with the two surprised.

“Wait! These are-?!” Lea exclaimed, looking at the piece in his hand in shock. He looked back at Chirithy. “Why would you…?”

“Sometimes, the only way to fix a problem like this IS to find an older solution used back then,” Chirithy answered. “The solutions used today are built out from the past to help mend the problem, as they can directly strike it at its source.”

Lea blinked. “Huh?”

“I think he means that, to solve our nightmare problem, we need the help of the past, before we work on our other issues,” Isa said.

“Oh. Well, I guess that makes sense. We can’t just get it over with all at once…”

“Things like this take time,” the Dream Eater said. “If you aren’t willing to confront those problems, they would get worse until it boils over. Especially with certain…conditions. One of which you can’t get rid, since it would be there with you, but you can have it be treated at least.”

“Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder- or PTSD. Yeah,” Isa nodded, “That’s what we figured.” He raised an eyebrow at Chirithy. “But…are you sure?”

“Of course,” Chirithy nodded. He perked. “Oh. Almost forget.” He approached Isa before handing him something. “Since the means to make a Chirithy outside of the Realm of Sleep is lost, you might need that.”

“Ah,” Isa said, noting it as he looked at the small folded paper. He stuffs it into his (really big, and very real) pockets. “Thank you. But…why give us pieces of you?”

“Well, part of the reason is because you’re also a friend of my friend,” Chirithy replied.

Lea blinked. “Friend of…your friend?”

…What does that even mean? Hm…

Lea shook his head. He shouldn’t worry about that now. “Well…thanks. So, uh…how do we get back from here? And can just one piece of you really help us out?”

“Sure it can,” Chirithy nodded, cheerful. “As for how to leave…just fall into the water and call upon your own heart to wake up.”

The two blinked at that. They looked at each other…before they looked at Chirithy, nodding. “All right. We’re trusting you. So…I guess we’ll see you later then,” Lea said.

“Be safe you two!” Chirithy waved them off. Lea gave a soft smile, waving back. Isa had a bored smile at his friend, but he gave a small wave to the Chirithy. The two took deep breaths…and let themselves fall backwards.

And found themselves back in the water. Letting themselves sink into the depths. Their bodies glowed, along with the parts of Chirithy in their hands…and the two ‘flew’ off, back to their hearts.

-

The boys’ eyes popped open, the two shooting up in surprise. “We’re awake!” Lea yelped out.

Merlin looked over at them, reading a book. “Ah, good morning,” he greeted. The boys noticed that they’re in a bed now. “Well, I should say late morning. You two have been out for a few hours now.”

They looked around. “We were?” Isa asked.

“Yes. Though, you two had barely stirred at all while you were asleep,” Merlin informed them with a worried look. “I know you two were tired but…I was worried you might not wake up again.”

“Oh. Uh…sorry,” Lea mumbled, looking away. His hand squeezed around something with him noticing. He held up his hand…and he’s still holding onto the piece he had gotten from Chirithy. “Oh.”

“Hm?” Merlin blinked at it. “My, where did you get that?”

Lea looked up. “Uh…”

Isa moved on the bed, before he held up his own piece. “I have one too,” Isa said. “When we were asleep, we were taken to our Stations of Awakening, and ended up at a place called the ‘Final World’. Since the edges of sleep and death touch, we ended up at the place that’s sort of the ‘afterlife’ for hearts that perished with its body. We were dreaming, thankfully, but…we ran into someone who gave us a piece of himself.”

“Yeah. It was a Chirithy.”

Merlin looked surprised. “You met a Chirithy? In the Final World?”

“Yeah,” Lea nodded. “It’s nice but…well, anyway. They said they were waiting for someone. According to him, there wasn’t much of a ‘need’ for a Chirithy anymore. But he still gave us a part of himself. ‘Cause…apparently we met his friend…?”

Merlin hummed, fixing his glasses. “How peculiar.”

“By the way, where did Yen Sid and Aqua go?” Lea asked Merlin.

“Well, while you two were asleep, the two went on ahead to see if they could find the means to attain a Dream Eater, as well as see if they could have it remain in the Realm of Light,” Merlin answered.

“How long ago was that?” Isa asked him.

Merlin hummed. “About a couple of hours. They’re yet to find something, though.”

“So…you were waiting for us to wake up?” Lea asked him, crossing his legs on the bed.

“Well, honestly it would be beneficial for us to work together to solve this problem. Not only that, you two had been diligent workers, but I could see on how much Aqua worries about the two of you,” Merlin said to them. “Not just as her students but also her friends as well. Mostly her friends.”

Lea hummed, before he got out of the bed. He stretched his arms and back, grunting. He did a couple of exercises before he huffed. “Honestly? She should worry about herself from time to time. I’m not saying I didn’t appreciate it, but…really.”

Isa got out of the bed himself. “True. It’s important for her to take care of yourself,” he said…before he pulled out the note Chirithy gave him. He unfurled the paper, looking at it. He squinted his eyes at it, pursing his lips.

“What’s wrong?” Lea asked him, noting the look. Isa merely showed him…and Lea’s eyes went wide. “…Holy crap. All of that for a Chirithy or two?”

Isa nodded. “Whoever created them must have took a lot of time to create one of them, and see what would work well or not,” he said. “Before mass producing it.”

“Where are we even going to find most of these things?” Lea asked, taking the note to look through it.

Isa hummed at that. “…Let’s try asking Yen Sid,” he suggested. “We gotta inform them of a clue of how to make a Chirithy Dream Eater anyway.”

Lea grunted, before handing the note back to Isa. “All right. Let’s go find them in the library.”

Merlin closed the book and stood up. “Well then, let’s hurry on then,” he said as he got to them. He soon used his magic to teleport them to the library.

When they first set their eyes on the room, they were surprised by how big the place is. Bigger than the library in the castle, that’s for certain. Sometimes, Aqua comes to the room to read in silence on the time there’s some levity.

It was also in this room where Yen Sid gave the two a low down of how time works on a lot of worlds days ago. They each have their own flow since the Keyblade War. Some slower, some faster. Yet any person who came from the world would still follow the ‘time’ from their original world. (Which is a relief since they could still age normally by following the flow of time in Radiant Garden; a different case for Kairi but that’s beside the point.) They learned a bit more of history behind that as well – since the Keyblade War, the restoration of the worlds also helps depend on how advanced they could become. Some are restored faster, leading to their own societies. Others, on the other hand, are slower, and made it seem as if they aren’t quite as advanced as most worlds. It was confusing at most, but it could explain why some worlds are still in medieval times and others are more advanced.

Once they found Aqua and Yen Sid (with the three Good Fairies helping out), they informed them of what happened to them, showing the pieces of the Chirithy they had met, as well as the list and instructions that Chirithy gave to Isa. After telling them of that, Yen Sid mulled it over. As he did, Lea looked at Aqua.

“Did you get any rest before looking in the library?” He asked her.

“Uh…well,” Aqua began, flushing.

“We had to beg her to at least nap for a little while,” Merryweather spoke up. “Can’t have her stumbling around, could we?”

Lea pointed at them. “Continue to be awesome guys.”

Isa rolled his eyes as the Fairies giggled. “Lea,” Aqua tried to chastise.

“What? You need it,” Lea said to her. “Even if it isn’t a full-on rest, it’s needed at least.”

Aqua stared at him before sighing. “You’re…not wrong,” she muttered.

Lea’s eyes softened. “But, seriously, you should take care of yourself too.” He has his hands on his hips. “I mean…I know how you are by now, but even you gotta take care of yourself, you big goof.”

“Oh, _I’m_ the goof?” Aqua asked him good-naturedly.

“Sometimes,” Lea admits.

Aqua giggled. “Right. Though, you can be a bigger one.”

“Hey, what’s that supposed to mean?” Lea asked her with a playful glare.

“She means that you can be an idiot,” Isa responded. “A well-meaning one, but, an idiot.”

“Ouch.” The three of them laughed heartedly as the Fairies giggled.

Yen Sid couldn’t help but smirk at their antics…but, there is things to do. He cleared his throat to get their attention. Once they stood at attention, he spoke. “It seems that this turn of events could be seen as…fortuitous. The fact that a Chirithy still exists is astounding…however, as the Dream Eater had mentioned, the means to create one had been lost for a long time.” He held up the small note given to Isa. “It is at least wise enough to leave this to Isa. Yet, therein lies the problem.”

“The means to recreate one,” Isa spoke up.

“Precisely,” Yen Sid nodded. “We may have the equipment, but the means to do so alludes us.”

“So…what do we do now?” Lea asked.

“I’m not finished.” Yen Sid sets the note down on the desk. “While the means to do so alludes us…there is, yet one way to get the pieces necessary. Which is what comes to this.” He sat down at the desk in the library. “Though Xehanort’s Heartless is defeated weeks ago, not all of the worlds were restored to the realm of light.” That alarmed them. “However,” he held up a hand to calm them, “it does not mean that they’re truly gone.” He lowered his hand. “As I said, Dream Eaters only exist within the Realm of Dreams. It is also within this realm, do the worlds that hadn’t truly returned…remain asleep within.”

“Seriously?” Lea asked, scratching his head. “How could worlds just…stay asleep?”

“I am afraid I do not know,” Yen Sid shook his head. “Either some were too damaged enough to not fully returned…or, there were other reasons why. Among these worlds is Traverse Town, a world that is made up of a collection of lost worlds. It’s a unique world, existing in the Realm Between. It appears before others in need of shelter.”

“…So, in this case, it would serve as a unique haven for those who are in need of shelter,” Isa said, hands on his hips. “Leon and the others found their way to that world, thanks to Cid and Mickey.”

“Yes. The world I reside in isn’t always ‘standing’ in a fixed place, as you could see,” Yen Sid told them. “As such, in certain cases, Traverse Town reforms its shape every time. While it may have room for a certain amount of people, it would always change its shape.”

“So, why would Traverse Town be in the Realm of Sleep now?” Lea asked. “Is it because it no longer serves as a ‘haven’ for other people?”

“No, there are still residents who’s worlds hadn’t been awakened,” Yen Sid answered. “Perhaps, it is ‘asleep’ due to someone else using it as shelter.”

The three looked confused. Someone else? But who?

Isa hummed arms crossed. “So, where are you going with this?” Wanting to get to the point.

Yen Sid grunted. “In order to get the necessary ‘parts’, you may have to go into the Realm of Sleep to do so.”

The three looked surprised. “Seriously?” Lea asked.

“Dream Eaters live within the Realm of Sleep. As Traverse Town is within the Sleeping Realm now, it would serve as an opportunity to go there and find what you need from this list,” Yen Sid pushes the list to them, for Isa to collect. “Also, it would be for the benefit of Aqua as well. There are many Dream Eaters, and she could decide on what she would take.”

Aqua noticed it. “Ah. So, I could choose what I wanted,” she said. Yen Sid nodded.

“Uh…is it all right for us to jump in there though?” Lea spoke up. “I mean, not that I’m against getting them but…how long would that even take?”

“In the Realm of Sleep, time is not of any concern,” Yen Sid answered. “The worlds are, in a sense, a ‘dream’ of sorts that depict events that had occurred in the worlds before they were consumed. There are cases that an event had happened, and the ‘remains’ of that event appears as its own world.”

Lea raised an eyebrow. “Huh. I don’t…really get it, but…okay,” he muttered. “So…the gist of it is that because it’s a ‘dream’, time wouldn’t move at all here, we could take as long as we want…and since it’s just one world…it’s okay?”

“That’s correct.”

“Ah. Okay.”

Isa rolled his eyes. But, it does sound a bit…complicated. At the very least, though, they could be able to get what they need to make up Chirithy. Though…

“Though, we can’t exactly lower our guard could we?” Isa asked. “Would there be Heartless?”

“No,” Yen Sid answered. “As the worlds are asleep, barriers are created around them. Barriers that not even the Heartless could penetrate. But just because there are no Heartless, does not mean there aren’t dangers within.”

Isa noticed it. “The Nightmare Dream Eaters.”

“Precisely.”

“Well that figures,” Lea muttered. He sighed. “But, can’t be helped. Can’t expect things to be easy forever, y’know?” _‘I know it isn’t better than facing Heartless, but…facing new enemies should be good for training,’_ he thought. Whether there are Heartless, Nobodies…they can’t face the same enemies forever after all.

And though they’re on a mission to get some Dream Eaters, they still gotta defend themselves.

“Though, suppose we do get them, how are we going to have them pop out in the realm of light?” Isa asked.

“It was said that Dream Eaters, when they have a strong bond with someone – a Keyblade wielder for example – they could be able to remain in the realm of light,” Yen Sid elaborated. “If you could make a bond with your Dream Eater, could they exist outside of the realm of sleep.”

Lea scratched his head. “So…assuming we do all of that, do we make them there, or here?”

"From the list the Chirithy given Isa, a couple can be made in the Realm of Light," Yen Sid answered, stroking his beard. "We will have to have the proper equipment to have them created. It would be wise to collect as many as you could."

Isa looked over at the list written down before he pockets it. "Well. What are we waiting for? We can't exactly stand around here and do nothing."

"...Should I even ask?" Lea asked, a brow raised.

"Probably not," Isa said. "The sooner we could get there, the better."

"I guess so."

"I guess we'll have to prepare in the meantime," Aqua said. "Stocking up on potions and such, just in case."

The two nodded.

-

After they got what they needed, from potions, to ethers and such. Yen Sid looked at the three. "Are you ready?"

They nodded. "Yeah," Lea responded.

"It will be treacherous. Be on your guard," Yen Sid warned them. He held up a hand…and something strange materialized. It looked to be a spherical portal device…but, within it is a swirling vortex.

“Whoa…” Lea breathed out in surprise.

“Normally to reach sleeping worlds, you would need to be on a world that falls to darkness… However, considering the circumstances, I can at least open this for you.”

Isa tilted his head at it, before looking at Yen Sid. “So…how do we get in?”

“Call forth your Keyblades,” the elder answered. “And let your hearts be your guiding key.”

_‘That tagline, huh?’_ Lea thought. _‘But…well, may as well.’_ The three of them summoned their Keyblades. Lea looked over at his…before shrugging, pointing the tip at the device. Isa and Aqua did the same as well. The tips of their Keyblades began to glow…and as the halo hits the tips, they fired a beam into the sphere. A bright light began to erupt from the sphere.

“Good luck!” Merlin called out to them before the light consumed them…

…

When Isa opened his eyes, he’s in a completely different area. The wind blew by, tussling his hair. He looked up. Stars hang over him.

“Whoa…” He heard Lea breath out. He looked to see Lea and Aqua nearby, looking around the area.

“Is this…the realm of sleep?” Lea asked, “or…?”

The area they’re in is of Victorian age in terms of design and layout. There’s also a small café nearby, some streetlights and a staircase leading up to a shop of sorts.

“I think we’re in our destination,” Aqua spoke up, looking around. “I feel…something strange here.”

“Really?” Lea asked, tilting his head.

Aqua nodded. “It’s strange. I can’t describe it but…”

Isa looked around a bit before looking at the two. “Well, we’ll know for sure if we leave this district. There’s two ways we could go. Up the stairs, or…” he gestured to a large set of doors to the right of the area. It has the sign that says, ‘3rd District’ over it, “we could go through there.”

Lea looked over Isa’s shoulder. “…What about that way?” He pointed.

There’s a set of doors beside the café, with Isa staring at it dumbly. How the hell did he miss that?

“Does it matter where we should go?” Aqua asked them. “We could go any way we want, really.”

“She’s got a point.” Lea hummed, hands in his hips. “…Let’s go in order for now.”

"So...to the top of the stairs?" Isa asked.

"Yeah. There could be a way to another district from there," Lea shrugged.

True. Just because there's a shop doesn't mean there's nothing more about the place, really. "Well then, shall we?" Isa asked them.

After making their way up and passing the accessory shop, they went behind the shop and up a set of stairs to enter the next district.

There are a few other shops dotting the sides (clothing stores and the like, with a glowing sign in the shape of a green hat), a hotel at the left side of the district, and a large building with a bell hanging is across from them.

After looking around a bit, Lea had his hands on his hips. “Huh. I can see why it can become a haven,” he mused. “Didn’t expect it to be…artsy.”

“Though, with the Heartless, I can’t imagine that certain areas would be safe,” Isa remarked, crossing his arms. “Around here especially.”

“They at least kept the First District a safe zone,” Aqua mused, thinking.

“I guess that’s true,” Lea nodded- he perked. “Huh?”

“What’s wrong?” Aqua asked- before something began to materialize with them noticing.

It looked to be clouds appearing…before they swirled into itself to form into something. Colorful creatures appeared, in different shapes and sizes- yet, their eyes are red and have a dark color scheme. They all share the same sigil on their bodies: its heart shaped but with what resembles ‘wings’ (or an open jaw) coming out from the middle, with the lower bit starting off into a fleur-de-lis.

"Are those Nightmares?" Isa asked as they got out their Keyblades.

"They must be," Aqua responded. "Though..." _'Did Lea sense them?'_ She asked herself.

Lea looked at them. "Hey, no time to be distracted," he said. "We still gotta defend ourselves from them, y'know?"

"O-Oh, right," Aqua nodded.

The area is small though...so...

Aqua looked out to the lower level of the district. "C'mon!" She called out as she ran to the edge and jumped down.

The boys looked at each other. "Well, more room," Isa said before he unleashed a magic attack to stun several of them (they resemble bats, sheep, a strange...cat-like being with legs, even a large bear). The two soon rushed off to join Aqua, with Lea staying behind a bit to lower his eye lid and sticking his tongue out, taunting them. That angered some of them, making them charge. Lea looked surprised before he quickly jumped off. He fell to his knee to take the momentum of the fall to the ground, before rushing off, flinging fire balls at them.

Lea narrowed his eyes. “Well, let’s make short work of them,” he muttered, determined.

Together, the three of them took on the Nightmares. It feels…strangely catharsis to beat them up. As if they’re beating back their own nightmares. Soon enough, through a good strike sent a cat-like creature with a note for a tail to be sent into the air before it turned into floating pieces of…material.

Isa went over to one of them, picking it up. “Huh.” He looked over at it. “Interesting that they drop these.”

“Maybe they’re important?” Lea asked. “There’s a lot of them they dropped.”

Isa hummed. He pulled out the list from his pocket, looking over at it. “…Okay, the Nightmares can drop some of these, but…the others might not be so easy to find. Especially when we gotta make two times the amount.”

“So what exactly do we need to make a Chirithy?” Lea asked.

“Three ‘Vibrant Fantasies’, one ‘Dulcet Fantasy’, three ‘Vibrant Fancies’, two ‘Brilliant Fantasies’, one ‘Charming Fantasy’, and…three ‘Noble Fancies’,” he answered. “With the piece we got from Chirithy, these are needed to make one.”

Lea picked up a couple of them. “So…how do we tell what’s what though?” He asked, looking over a piece resembling glasses, and another that resembles a spring.

That is a good question. They don’t know what’s what and what’s needed to make a Dream Eater. Or even how to make one. Isa sighed. It looks like they jumped into this hastily once more. Though, then again, it’s unlikely even Yen Sid even knows how to make one…

Aqua hummed. “Well then, we’ll probably have to have someone help identify the pieces then.”

“Well, wouldn’t be that convenient?” Lea muttered.

Isa grunted. Indeed. Though, they’re there now. They may as well make the best of it. “Then we’ll just take them with us,” Isa suggested, putting the list away, “just in case.”

With that, they picked up the other pieces lying around, stuffing them into bags they have on them.

Once that’s done, Lea nodded. “Let’s see if we can find more!” He said with an arm pump. “If they’re going to cause us trouble, we can take ‘em.”

“Let’s hope you keep that optimism going,” Isa said, rolling his eyes.

“We should still be on our guard, regardless,” Aqua said. “You two ready?”

“Yes, ma’am,” they nodded.

-

The trio explored the 2nd District some more, checking out the building – a Gizmo Shop – for a bit, the back alley through the hotel they saw, before moving on to the 3rd District. Their exploration has them facing more Nightmares, some in different variety than the last.

As they entered the 3rd District, with it having some neon signs and such, Lea had his hands behind his head. “So, silly question time…think we got any signs of what we need?” He asked. “you’d think Master Yen Sid would’ve assigned us what we needed.”

“Well, I’m free to figure out what Dream Eater I wanted.” Aqua rubbed her chin to think. “Strangely enough, I found this.” She soon brought out something. It’s a small notepad with scribbles on it.

“Within a chest?”

“That’s right,” Aqua nodded. “I can make this, and it even has the recipe pictures I need. But it’s for a ‘basic’ recipe.”

…

“…What does it make?” Lea asked curiously.

Aqua looks at the recipe. “…Something called a ‘Meow Wow’,” she answered.

“A Meow Wow?” Lea parroted. “Uh…is it because of the noises a cat and dog make?”

“I guess,” Aqua shrugged. She soon pulls out one of the pieces. It resembles a light bulb, with a small orb inside of it. “These are particular though. This one feels like you’re holding a small light in your hands.”

Lea hummed. “Well, I guess we better get more than,” he figured.

“There’s the other set of doors near the café,” Isa reminded. “We can go through there after we check this area more thoroughly.”

“True,” Lea grunted as he rolled his shoulder.

Isa rubbing his chin with a finger. “Though if we have to look we can always investigate the new District…”

“True,” Aqua nodded. “Though…” she looked to something. “There’s something odd about the electrical systems here.”

“What makes you say that?” Lea asked, tilting his head.

Aqua turned their attention to a pipe with wiring sticking out. The three of them went over to investigate it. “At least they got these things out,” Lea figured, looking at the small stands around it. As if they’re to keep people away from it.

“Were they meant to fix this?” Isa wondered.

“I guess so,” Lea shrugged.

Isa looked over at it. It looks like someone had sparked this before. But when? Someone has to have access to electricity to make this work properly. Sora? Probably.

Lea tilted his head. “Think we need to kickstart it with a strong hit or thunder spell?”

“A thunder spell could work.” Isa charged up a Thundara spell, before unleashing it. It sparked a bit, with the sign leading to the 1st District lighting up. A loud ‘click’ is heard.

“…That was locked?” Lea blinked.

“…Guess we never bothered to check it,” Isa admitted. “But at least we could loop around now.”

Entering the 1st District, the postbox then lit up. Checking it…it started to act strange. And it moved to the side…revealing an entrance?

“…Huh. That’s something,” Lea remarked.

Isa peered down. “It looks like it leads to the Post Office.” He jumped down, crouching low to let the momentum go into the ground. Standing up, he looked around a bit before he noted a rail. Lea and Aqua joined him as he peered out…

And saw a MASSIVE storage area beyond the hole.

Isa stared blankly at that. “…Holy crap…” he muttered.

Lea and Aqua peered out as well, and their eyes widened in surprise. “…Whoa-ho! I guess they had to have spaces for everything and everyone that stays here,” Lea remarked.

Isa looked around. “…It doesn’t look like there’s any way to traverse…” he looked down at the rail. “Except for Flowmotion.”

Lea froze. “…Oh HELL no,” he muttered.

The blue haired boy gave his friend a bored look. “Really?”

“I thought we were done with that!” Lea complained. “After the Enchanted Dominion!”

“Well, we’re in big open places like this, and with places like this, sometimes you NEED to move quickly,” Isa pointed out. “Besides,” he gave a dry look to Lea, gesturing to the area, “how else do you propose we get through this? Can you walk and climb everywhere?”

Lea pursed his lips, brows furrowed. He took a deep breath through his nose, before rubbing his head vigorously. “Ugh…!” He groaned before lowering his arms. “Okay! Fine! Let’s just…get this over with.”

The red-haired boy gazed at the rail. He heaved a sigh before hoping on, sliding off. But as he did, he looked around, his surprise growing at how…BIG the place is. “…Holy crap. This…is a LOT of space.” Different from the Enchanted Dominion, that’s for sure, which is just a lot of close spaces and vines…

He soon reaches the ‘end’ of the rail before he leapt off, rolling on the ground after touching down. _‘Well, that was a better landing,’_ he thought. He flattened his lips at remembering the first time he done it. He was ‘launched’ off and practically landed on his face. Not really, but he might as well did. He stood up, looking around. “…Okay, now how do we even get around…?” He muttered. As he did, a thought occurred to him.

To be honest, what else could Flowmotion do? Hmm…since they got the time, they could see what else they could do with it. He looked over the walls a bit (if he didn’t know better, they seem to…shimmer with light).

_‘Actually, didn’t Aqua mention something about running along walls and stuff like that?’_ He asked himself. Right…if Lea remembered right, she mentioned it when she first taught them Flowmotion. They had gone with the basic stuff, ‘sliding’ on vines to get around. He hummed, looking up. He backed up a few paces…before he took a running go to the wall (barely missing on how he was glowing mid-run)- and he kicked off the wall.

“Whoa!” He yelped out, caught off guard. He hits the other wall, but clings to it. He looked down, surprised. _‘Okay, didn’t expect that…’_

Isa had caught up to Lea, landing on the ground. He noticed Lea clinging to the wall, blinking at that. Lea pursed his lips before he began to slide down the side, using magic to slowly descend to the ground.

Once he’s safely on the ground, Isa looked over at him. “…What were you doing?”

Lea looked up at him. “Oh hey. Yeah…I was…kind of seeing what else we could do? With Flowmotion.”

“So that’s a more proper Flowmotion then?”

“Yeah. Like kicking off the wall, sliding down it… you know, it feels like I could do parkour – should I do parkour?”

Isa raised an eyebrow at that. “That depends if you got a good enough balance and coordination.”

“I can work on that. Considering our training and stuff.”

“Right.”

“No, I mean it,” Lea shook his head, “With my body I can easily slip through gaps if I want to work through.”

Isa’s lips curled a bit into a frown. “…Okay. Prove it.”

Lea made a smug look before he looked around. He saw some crates nearby with a big enough gap for him to slip through. With that as his target, he used Flowmotion to run to the side of the wall near it. While on the wall, he soon angled his body…and shot off. He timed it just right to slip right on through. Isa stared at that, blinking. After a few moments, the crates were shoved a bit, showing Lea having found a chest behind them.

“Found one.”

Isa had a blank look on his face. “Huh,” he muttered.

Lea tossed the chest out, before he landed. “Proof enough?”

Isa pursed his lips. “…I shouldn’t tempt fate,” he decided. “But, if you can get through that, I suppose it would be worth passing by enemies. But I prefer to use my strength to get by them.” Nightmares soon began to appear, with Isa noticing. An idea formed in his head. “Speaking of which…” Having his Keyblade out, Isa soon tried to lunge at one of them…and glowing with magic, he began to spin around the large bear-like enemy- and hurled it to the lizard-like enemies!

Lea whistled at that. “Cool.” He looked around a bit before he looked at the wall. Mentally humming, he ran to the wall and landed on it…before he shot off, spinning around like a buzz sat to hit his enemies. At that success, he gave a mischievous cackle.

Isa shook his head upon hearing it. “…Now you’re having too much fun.” He readies his weapon. “At least without me.” With that, the two joined together to bash the new enemies.

As the boys enjoyed themselves, Aqua had been going around, looking for chests around the upper levels, and dealing with some Nightmares that had appeared. She heard sounds of fighting below, peering down. “Sounds like those two are figuring out the other details of Flowmotion,” she mused.

She thought about it. Perhaps she should let them be for now since they’ve got the time to figure out more about it.

Nodding to herself, she resumed her search.

-

After a while, the three met up after riding a green rail. Nearby is the exit out of the post office. Going through it, they ended up in a new area.

It’s a little bigger than the other districts so far.

“So, this is a new part of town,” Lea remarked as they looked around.

“What do you think this part of the town is made for?” Isa queried as they walked further in.

“Probably a part of another district,” Lea figured. “A residential quarter considering the larger buildings.”

“Maybe,” Isa shrugged as they pass by the large fountain in the plaza.

Aqua hummed, looking around. “Though it shouldn’t be THIS big…who made the town even bigger?”

Lea scratching his cheek. “…Maybe the same person who had this world be half in the realm of sleep and half in the realm of light?” He guessed.

“Okay, I know Yen Sid mentioned it earlier, but still…how does that even work?” Isa questioned.

“While we were resting, he told me in greater detail about Traverse Town,” Aqua spoke up. “It appears to those who need shelter when their world has fallen. It would be a haven for most people for the past nine years. Though, considering how even with Xehanort’s Heartless’ defeat, not all of them had returned, as he mentioned. Some people are still without their home worlds now. Though,” she looked at Lea, “I’m surprised you’d suggest that it would be ‘half-awake’ and ‘half-asleep’, Lea.”

“Well, he DID mention that not all of the worlds have returned,” Lea pointed out. “So there’s probably still a few people who live here that are waiting for their world to return…and for it to be in the realm of sleep…someone’s probably using it for a reason. I mean,” he shrugged, “it’d only make sense, really.”

“Though, the better question is…who would need it?” Isa asked.

That…had them pause. They stopped walking to think that. “…Good question,” Lea muttered. He scratched his head. “Maybe we should ask ‘why they need it in the first place, within the realm of sleep’.”

The three of them stood there, thinking…Aqua noted something. She narrowed her eyes a little. “…I have a feeling that we could be watched…” She muttered.

The boys noted it. They shifted their eyes, wary.

“…You don’t think Xehanort would even think that far ahead, do you?” Lea asked. “Though…we’ll probably need to keep our eyes peeled.”

“For once, I agree with you,” Isa responded. “On the last part.” If Isa agrees, then it’s serious.

The three had their backs against the wall as they looked around warily. Carefully, they kept an eye out as they reached a different area…

Completely missing a blonde-haired youth watching them go from the top of the fountain.

“Well, this is unprecedented,” he remarked. He honestly didn’t expect some visitors. Pretty unusual ones at that.

The next district seems a little bit bigger than the plaza they had just exited. There’s a lot of lights hanging from rope, and they connect to a small spire in the middle, with a lot of shops around. It has houses around. Dealing with more Nightmares, they made their way to a larger building – it looks colorful, but big…like an arena.

“An arena?” Aqua asked as they looked up at it.

“What do you think it’s for?” Lea queried as Isa looked over to a balloon.

“Check that one out,” Isa directed their attention to the balloon. It resembles one of the cat-dog Dream Eaters they encountered, but it’s more vibrant colored, with it pink with splotches of mint green on the sides and feet, with a pinkish cream colored under belly. It has a small, pink horn on top of its head with yellow plus signs as eyes.

“Hmm…that’s probably a different kind of a Meow Wow,” Lea remarked. “But…if that’s what a Spirit version looks like, what would the Nightmare version look?” He looked around. “But, no enemies around here though.”

Isa looked around. “True…” He looked up at the building. “Though, what do you think this place is for? I doubt it’s for…regular folks.”

“It’s a coliseum for people to use Dream Eaters in competitions called Dream Rush – or Flick Rush, to spice it up.”

A new voice had been unexpected, making them freeze. They didn’t expect anyone else to be here.

“…Whos’ there?” Lea questioned warily as he looked over his shoulder cautiously.

Approaching them is a lanky, fair-skinned teenager with unkempt ash-blond hair and lavender-colored eyes. He wore a light grey button-down shirt, with a fairly exposed neck and collar. He also wore a pair of dark grey pants and plain white shoes with black laces.

The two looked over their shoulders and the three turned to the boy. “Who are you?” Aqua asked him, wary.

“Well, just someone who noticed three folks who came down here to this world,” the boy shrugged. “Honestly, I wasn’t expecting visitors really.”

Isa narrowed his eyes. “So you were watching us from the start…”

“Maybe,” the boy answered with a playful smirk.

“…What kind of senses do you even have if you were watching us?”

The male hummed thoughtfully. “You could say…a sense beyond yours. Well beyond I should say,” he answered (and what kind of answer is that?). “But in any case, sorry for the scare. My name is Joshua.”

“Joshua, huh?” Lea muttered. “I’m Lea. These two are Isa and Aqua.”

“Ah, I see. So what are you three here for, aside from dismantling Nightmares?”

Lea hummed, mulling over what they could tell Joshua. He feels…really unusual. But…hmm…

“…Well, we’re looking for parts to make a Dream Eater that hadn’t been around for a long while,” Lea answered.

“is that so?” Joshua tilted his head. “But no one really gave an instruction manual to make it, based on what the pieces look like, do they?”

Lea winced. “…Well, no,” he admitted. Better to admit to it, than not to, really. “We only got a list of what to get. That was on us…we’ve got nightmare problems and we’re in a bit of a huffy.”

Joshua hummed, thinking. “So it seems to be both literal and figurative then,” he mused. He tapped his chin a little. “Well then, let me see the list. I can at least put in something to help you out in your quest, if only a little.”

Isa narrowed his eyes at Joshua, suspicious. Lea noted the look. “C’mon, Isa,” Lea softly pleaded, “He could help us out.”

Isa looked at his friend, then shifted them to Joshua, who had a smile on his face. Isa’s eyes narrowed a little more. As much as he didn’t want to trust this guy…they’ve been on a wild goose chase. It would be better to know what exactly they look like than to just blindly go around, hoping for the best. He sighed through his nose, reluctantly handing the list to the ash-blonde boy. “Here.”

“Thank you,” Joshua beamed as he takes the list before looking over at it. He hummed, his eyes looking over at them. He got out a pencil before he doodled a little on it. After a bit, Joshua hands it back to Isa. “Here you go.”

“Thanks,” Isa muttered, taking it back before looking over at it.

It looked to show drawings of what they’re looking for…

Especially a couple in particular.

Isa dug around in the bag they have, pulling out one of them. “…Guess it was a good idea to collect them after all,” he mused.

He was holding a piece called ‘Vibrant Fancy’ – it looked like the other one Aqua had, but with two points and the energy has four ‘curves’ around it.

“This piece is of the Vibrant Fancies we’re looking for,” Isa reported.

“Seriously?” Lea asked, surprised. “Where can we get the others though?”

“The Brilliant and Charming ones are pretty rare,” Joshua responded. “You’d probably have a bit more of luck in fighting against certain dream eaters in unique ‘portals’ about the world. I’m sure you’ve seen them, round and kind of spikey?”

“You mean those ‘gates’ we found and did their challenges?” Aqua asked.

“That’s right. You could find a Brilliant Fantasy by fighting a Lord Kyroo in a special portal, and/or a Keeba Tiger out and about, and a Charming Fantasy in chests or from a Frootz Cat, in the portal as well. Though…” He looked over at Le and Isa. “You would have to be pretty lucky to find either of them. You might be in for a long, long time finding those.”

…

Lea and Isa slumped over, groaning.

Aqua looked at the two before at Joshua. “What about me?”

“Well, depending on your recipe you might have a low-grade Dream Pieces to high grade,” Joshua answered, “That recipe on hand shows the easiest and cheapest way to make one.”

“I see…” Aqua muttered. “So…depending on what we got on hand, I could make it a little stronger?”

“Exactly. The recipes will make their base stat stronger. The higher the grade, the more powerful they’ll become.”

Aqua hummed, thinking. “I see.”

“Since I’m in a good mood, I’ll go ahead and update your recipe if you want to try and make a stronger one.” Aqua nodded at him before handing it to him. He looked over at it before he wrote down the recipe in question. He was also kind enough to draw in what the materials looked like as well. He hands it back to her, for her to look over.

“Hm…that’s actually quite helpful. Thank you.”

“Sure,” Joshua shrugged. “Though,” he looked at the dejected look on Lea’s face, and Isa crossing his arms, tapping his foot, “can’t say the same for your friends. They could have gotten the other ones…but the rarer materials are going to be tricky.”

“Any idea on where to find them?” Aqua inquired.

“You’ll probably want to investigate the other worlds for them. Though…” Joshua gave a particular look to them, “considering a few things, that might not be an option for you guys, huh?”

Lea sighed. “Trust us. To even have that chance, we’ll have to do it.”

Isa grunted, frowning. “…We’ll have to check around the last district first…and I’d rather not give our friends in the realm of light a scare if we just move on to the next world.”

True. They aren’t sure on what else could be in the realm of sleep, other than the Nightmares. It’s a gamble…but is the risk worth it? Anything could happen.

“Well, if you find the portals, you’ll have better luck looking there for the Charming Fantasy,” Joshua said. “You could find them around here, but only in unique portals. Special ones. But…for the Brilliant Fantasy, though, you would probably need to look closer to where you’ve ‘started’ when you came here.” He shrugged. “That’s all I have to suggest.”

…Where they ‘started’?

“…How do you even…?” Isa began.

“Like I said- it’s a particular sense,” Joshua responded with a smile.

Isa frowned in suspicion, with his eyebrows furrowed. “…You helped us, and yet…why? Why would you?”

“All I have to say about myself is that I have something that I have to protect too,” Joshua looked at Isa with a particular look, “that includes you. We’re like minded, even if we’re different in experiences.” Isa blinked at that, tilting his head. “in any case, you guys might have to get going.” Joshua then looked serious. “Anyone else could notice you…and it might not bode well for any of you.”

“…You’re talking about ‘him’ aren’t you? I mean…why even tell us that?”

“Well…dreams can have a habit of connecting the dead and the dreaming together…and sometimes, can show us the future. Even in their youth,” Joshua answered cryptically. “As Long as a heart is free from the body, they can go wherever they want, whenever they want. So long as there’s a ‘destination’ they could go to.” And then, to their astonishment, he suddenly grew a pair of angel wings, and took off into the sky.

…

“…What the _hell_ just happened?!” Lea exclaimed, gesturing to what they just witnessed.

-

Thanks to the drawings Joshua had given them, they have a better idea of what they needed to get now. Putting the strange…sight of seeing a kid grow wings and then flying away to the corner of their minds, Lea and Isa searched for those portals mentioned in order to claim the Charming Fantasy material they needed.

After a long while, they met up at the 5th District. It has a single building, with some plants around. A garden area it seems like. But just as bright and colorful. Lea and Isa had triumphantly held up the heart-shaped pieces they obtained after doing the trials. Who would have thought messing with those things could actually come in handy?

The only thing left is to get a few globules of the Brilliant Fantasy.

Though while the boys are happy and looking over their gathered pieces…Aqua was thinking more on what Joshua said.

_‘Dreams have a habit of connecting the dead and the dreaming together…and sometimes, can show us the future. Even in their youth. As long as a heart’s free from the body, they can go wherever they want, whenever they want. So long as there’s a ‘destination’ they could go to.’_

Aqua narrowed her eyes. _‘As long as the heart is free…they can go wherever…and whenever…?’_ She mentally parroted. From what Joshua is saying…it would imply that the heart can go through…time? Is that- is that even…possible? She never heard of anything like that before. Yet, the edge of sleep and death could touch (considering Lea and Isa ending up at the Final World from the Station of Awakening)…if the heart is the only thing that could travel through time, hypothetically…it would mean that the body had to be left behind for that heart to get to…a certain destination in time…

…

Would. Would that even be _possible?_ If all of that is true, then this would imply that certain events were caused BY time travel. By THAT logic-!

Aqua cradled her head. This will give her a headache at this rate…but if a heart could traverse through time which – pardon her language – is a bullshit concept that made little sense. Who invented it anyway? But if that’s true, and hearts traversing through time could work then…

(Xehanort’s Heartless had taken over Riku’s body. How it would know WHEN to take over the body, using his naïveté and such while he worked under Maleficent and the lies…he would have to be there at the start.)

(For him to be there at the start, he would have to-)

Aqua’s eyes went wide, first in shock…then in horror.

“Well, I guess that’s all we could get,” Lea said, looking over at the Charming Fantasy. “Now we just need two Brilliant Fantasies each.”

“They won’t be easy, I’ll bet,” Isa said, hands on his hips.

“I know,” Lea nodded, putting it away. “Hey, Aqua, if what Joshua said is true, then maybe there’s a portal we can take to…the Tower…” As he looked to Aqua, he trailed off, noticing her processing something. “Aqua?”

Isa blinked at her. “…What’s wrong?” He asked, worried.

“What Joshua said earlier…something made a lot of sense,” she spoke up. “Xehanort was able to possess Riku’s heart…that would mean he would have to be there when the Islands fell.”

“Wait, what?” Lea blinked. “How would he even know WHEN that would happen?”

Aqua sighed, but not at their confusion. She would have to tell them. “…When you lose your heart, your heart is free to wherever it goes. It’s not contained by the passage of time, but…you have to exist to even let that happen, right?” She crossed her arms, a finger to her chin. “…Maybe…Xehanort may had insight about this…if he had lost his heart and moved through time…but, though I doubt you would remember those events…it would certainly feel like déjà vu, wouldn’t it?”

“Wha-? Wait. Waitwaitwaitwait, wait a moment,” Lea waved his hands. “…HOW is that even POSSIBLE? Just…” He held his head, trying to think about it. “All of this is just so damn convoluted! Magical key weapons, monsters stealing hearts, and your bodies coming alive is one thing, but time travel?! How does that even work!? I’m going to get an aneurysm at this rate!”

Isa is surprised he even knew what an aneurysm is…but, he has a point. He shook his head, sighing. “This takes the phrase ‘free the mind’ to a stupid new level. If our heart is our emotions…then our minds would have been ‘freed’ from the Heartless, stolen and turned into mindless ‘beings’ like them.” He frowned. “…But, if the person has good control of their heart, they could simply ‘travel’ to a certain point in time.”

Lea looked at him, before lowering his hands. “…And they would ‘dream’ of that event happening?”

“Dreams often can ‘predict’ the future, right? No one can really explain it, as just something our minds could think up of…but there are cases where people with precognitive – or, well, have future vision – powers could see the events within dreams. Suppose Xehanort did this to foresee this…and giving his younger self an idea to travel through time.” Isa tapped his temple. “That would mean that Xehanort would have planned out his own dream like…a prophecy he had to follow.” He narrowed his eyes. “…From his own ‘Heartless’: Ansem, the Seeker of Darkness.”

Lea blinked- before his eyes were wide. His mind flashed back to when Xehanort had turned on the apprentices, turning them into Nobodies. He returned to reality, the implication setting in – how Xehanort managed to do so…and the means to do it. “…The day he released the hearts of the apprentices…he did the same for himself…”

The two looked to Isa…and Aqua breathed out at this new set of information they had just unearthed.

“…This is just CRAZY,” Lea breathed out. “That would be like if WE went back in time and told our younger selves to escape from Xehanort’s plot from that moment.”

…

The two looked at each other.

“And if it was from a ‘dream’?” Isa questioned.

Lea scratched his head. “Ugh…I’m…I’m going to get a headache at this rate. We just unlocked a huge conspiracy it feels like.”

“…And we tried to enact our own conspiracy.”

Lea threw his hands up. “Okay, I’m just done. Done with this. Let’s just get those pieces and see about trying to make the Chirithy.” He turned and walked off. “C’mon, we gotta get back and tell Yen Sid that we got one more place to go!” He declared, pointing his finger in the air.

“…To be honest, I don’t blame him,” Aqua muttered as they watched him go.

Isa shook his head. “Me neither,” he admitted. “That in itself is a headache. Dreams always have a habit of telling us where to go…even the enemies…” The two followed Lea as they soon left the district.

“Though, seriously, if it was used to take over Riku back then, that…MIGHT make sense…”

“I thought you didn’t want to talk about it anymore?” Isa asked him. Not to tease him, but just asking.

“I know but still…!” Aqua blinked and looked over her shoulder.

…Hm. She thought she felt someone watching them again. She raised an eyebrow…before shrugging. _‘Maybe it’s nothing?’_ She thought before following the two. (A part of her hopes that it is.)

(…Unaware of someone wearing a black coat watching them go from a rooftop. The hood is over the head, covering their identity. After watching them leave through the doors, the figure manifested a dark portal, slipping through.)

Lea entered the Sorcerer’s Loft first, slouching as he has a particular sack. “Welcome back,” Yen Sid greeted as Aqua and Isa entered next. “Did you receive them?”

“Yeah,” Lea muttered, who set it down. “Though we met someone who gave us…a rather disturbing clue to Xehanort’s plans.”

Yen Sid grunted questionably.

Aqua approached. “We found out something…awful,” she spoke up. “A young man named Joshua gave us a clue. He once said to us that ‘dreams have a habit of connecting the dead and dreaming together…and sometimes, can show us the future. Even in their youth. As long as a heart’s free from the body, they can go wherever they want, whenever they want’.”

Yen Sid raised an eyebrow at that, perplexed…before Lea sighed. “Xehanort was on the island back when it fell and jumped into Riku. And considering he was a heart…well, who gave the younger Xehanort the push to even leave the islands in the first place?”

The man looked surprised before he stood up from his chair. “What? Are you certain of this?”

“Yeah. The whole thing about dreams being connected…it’s like the whole Dream Realm is connected to some collective sleeping folks and dead folks where it mingles – so it’s like possible to meet your future self in a dream or something.” He crossed his arms. “So Xehanort maaaay have been cheating with this whole concept and planned this when he became a heart the day he went ‘crazy’ and tried to extract everyone’s hearts – including his own.”

“It’s…very convoluted,” Isa sighed, palming his head. “…In all honesty, thinking about it is making my head pound.” That or it could still be from the lack of a restful sleep…probably both.

Yen Sid looked surprised…before he sat back down in surprise. “…Then…what he went through… It was all planned out from the beginning of his own training?”

Silence filled the room, the gravity of the situation falling over them. Mulling over it all…and what it could possibly mean. If he has the means to utilize time travel…what other things would one do? Did he…plan most of these THAT far in advance?

Xehanort is…rather, one cunning person. To plan certain things like that…but what about his Heartless? And his Nobody? Did they know as well? Or…?

Whatever the case…they’re up against someone of THAT magnitude.

Lea sighed, scratching his head. “…How the hell could four teenage boys, two Keyblade Masters and a retired master even stand up to someone like him?” He questioned. “Just…” He sighed.

Not often is Lea a pessimist…but, this is…

Wait. A thought came to Isa. “Wait. If he ‘knew’ everything in advanced…what about us? He was surprised to see you use the Keyblade, Lea, even though it wasn’t the ‘real’ thing…and there was the fact we escaped to the dark realm. If he knew of those…he could have tried to stop us from escaping. Either he was taken off guard or-”

“Nope!” Lea held up a hand to Isa, stopping him. “Not hearing anymore conspiracies or any other crap!”

Isa frowned. He knew exactly why Lea had said that…so he dropped it for now. Yet. He stepped forward. “…Maybe there is something to this. Xehanort haven’t thought of everything…if he had, then perhaps he would’ve foresaw his victory…or his loss…all depending on the choices we make. There could be ‘one path’ that he never thought of that can lead to his defeat.” He placed his hands on the desk. “If us escaping into the dark is just…one of the many possibilities that he didn’t see…maybe there’s others. He may be a tactician…but he isn’t all knowing.”

But…Isa couldn’t help but frown more. “…Though, perhaps it’s just a possibility that could happen…but…if there are possibilities to partake in this that he has figured out…then perhaps this just became a new battle then.” He stared down at his hands. “…We thought we were just up against Organization XIII…but…this is bigger.” He curled them over the desk. “MUCH. Bigger.”

Finding out about this…all of this. This is…

Lea looked at his friend, who is, for the first time, clearly at a loss. But how could he blame him? Especially after hearing all of that. And what Xehanort is like. They don’t know the scope of what that old man had planned. Though they had done things that HAD caught him off guard…the risk is just…huge.

Lea’s eyes shifted to the ground contemplating…before they looked up. “Well…we’re here now. We need to do what we can, at least.” They looked at him. Lea shook his head. “I’m not saying this out of fake optimism or anything. Just…well,” his shoulders slacked, “we know just how deep this is. I don’t know on what the future would hold…but, we need to focus on what we CAN do.” His eyes softened. “We need to focus on the present. Worrying about the future wouldn’t be good for us, really.”

Lea looked at Yen Sid with his green eyes. “So…what’s our next move then?”

The elder noted it. A somewhat realistic way of saying, to focus on the present, and not the future. One step at a time. Lea is young and not yet very wise…but, whoever imparted him with that piece of wisdom…

The man gave a smile, nodding. “Very well. Let us focus on what we can do now.” He regarded the three. “Is there anywhere else you need to go?”

“Yeah,” Lea responded, nodding. “Is it possible that this world has its own version in the realm of Sleep? Call it weird but…is it?”

Yen Sid hummed. And it came to him. “Ah…I can see how this would work. The realm of sleep has sleeping worlds…but, there are cases where a particular ‘memory’ of a world would manifest in the realm of sleep. One could say it would connect to the past…but the events that occurred then are set.”

“…So, even if we interact with it, it wouldn’t exactly fully ‘change’ anything?” Isa asked, tilting his head.

“In a way, yes. It would be as of what the young man Joshua had said. A vision of the future, but within a dream.” Yen Sid strokes his beard as he continued, “Yes. I would take you to the time where Mickey was under my tutelage to utilize magic. He was rather mischievous back then and didn’t take his training too seriously. I can send you to that time period – a time where he had partaken into a Symphony of Sorcery.”

They hummed. So they’ll be taken to the time where Mickey nearly flooded the tower? _‘That’ll be interesting to see,’_ Lea thought.

“Right…” Aqua nodded. “Though, sorry to say, but it’s obvious that I can’t let these two go alone now.”

The two understood the reason why she said that. “Right…considering,” Lea muttered, scratching his head. “I’m not even annoyed about that bit.”

They don’t know on who could be in the realm of sleep with them now…

-

Hmm…very curious.

While he had been going about, finding people who could be made into vessels…he felt something. Within the realm of sleep. A portal. And that bypasses the ‘dive’ for one to be within a sleeping world.

That had never happened before. It’s this curiosity that had him put his search on hold to locate the world the portal manifested at. Traverse Town. Ah, yes. That world is half asleep now; someone else is using that world to preserve the lives that were lost through dreams. It would take time for them to be properly…reconstructed. But the portal wasn’t made by that so called ‘youth’. It was made by someone else.

Upon arrival, he noted three presences. Keeping to the shadows, he moved. Not making a sound, the coat ensuring he wouldn’t be sensed…and what does he find at the end?

A pair of boys, one with red hair and wore mostly warm clothing, and the other with blue hair, wearing mostly cool clothing. The two wielded Keyblades…yet…they resemble the ones utilized by the other two. Weren’t they, numbers VII and VIII, the originals? But…it’s the third head that had gotten his attention.

He recalled seeing the blue haired woman. The friend of the vessel his future-self had claimed. Yet, wasn’t she supposed to be in the realm of darkness at this time? His future-self’s Heartless, Ansem, had been defeated. So…she should have remained, no? But there she is, with the two boys.

Hmm…either they are like himself, beings from the past who had entered the future…or, was there something else? Had someone meddled with the hands of fate? Or was this…?

He carefully watched them, even when that ‘youth’ had given them a hint about a heart’s power to travel through time. Yes, it is possible, but there are certain…restrictions. Restrictions even he has to abide. Even if he does travel to the future, he wouldn’t remember the events he had experienced. Almost like it was nothing more than a mere dream. That way, the events of the past couldn’t be changed. To let things…run their course.

And yet, here they are. Did a tear occur? Why are they here?

These questions ran through his mind, as he carefully watched them. But kept note of their actions. It seems they were searching for parts for a specific Dream Eater. A ‘Chirithy’. Hmm…why are they specifically looking for those? And they had jumped in here without even knowing what they look like. Mere children, rushing into things. How reckless.

…But, they are intuitive. From that clue alone, they deciphered the heart’s ability when it leaves the body. Though they know of his future self’s Heartless being at his homeworld…they don’t know the true scope of it all. They do not know of his existence.

Yet, they would, if he doesn’t keep his cards hidden. If he doesn’t stay out of sight.

After they had left, he too, had also taken his leave. He would need to confirm a few things. Who is ‘real’ and who ‘isn’t’.

Through an opening in time, he appeared within the castle his future-self’s Nobody had created, a home base to have thirteen vessels close. Yet they knew that this group would most likely fail. That’s why he was given the task to find…better candidates. It had taken time, though…he would have to put it on hold for a moment to check on something.

Slipping by and away, he made himself careful to avoid being detected, and spotted. Soon enough, he had gotten to a laboratory. He checked for reports on the 7th and 8th members of the current Organization. After looking, he found what he was looking for, hidden away. Interesting. He carefully reads them.

…

Hm…so ‘Even’ had gotten data of most of the people of the world Radiant Garden just in case something was to go awry. Among them were two boys: Lea and Isa. A pair of orphans that became apprentices to Ansem the Wise. But the day the world had ‘fallen’, out of the six of them, only the two had disappeared. Had become lost. And so, his future-self’s Nobody, Xemnas, had replicas of the two created, giving them the names ‘Saïx’ and ‘Axel’. Limited their memories were, they took the lie as ‘Nobodies’ very easily. But, what’s this? It seems that five days into their 13th vessel’s existence, the two had been… ‘updated’ – a couple of days prior, the two boys were found alive within the realm of darkness. More concrete data was collected from them, to make the two replicas stable. Giving the two a bit more of an…identity, but not fully. Like sleeping memories…

Ah. So the two in the Organization are mere replicas, who believed they were Nobodies…oblivious to the real things walking around. Who hadn’t aged at all. My, what a fascinating lie. Hm…his future-self could have had their spots filled in by someone else…but he could see why the replicas of the two were made. To preserve the passage of fate, somewhat. After all, Saïx and Axel were supposed to ‘exist’.

How or why did the two boys, Lea and Isa, manage to escape that fate? Had someone else committed a taboo themselves?

Hm…

Carefully, he places the reports where he had found them, hidden away from wondering eyes. He can’t make it too obvious on its importance. He’ll let them play along to this.

Xehanort soon returned to the realm of sleep, having satisfied his curiosity- only to notice yet another portal appearing. This time, in the past of the tower of the wizard. Could it be…?

He teleported to there, hidden in the shadows…sure enough, there they are, appearing at the entrance to the tower. But they seem a bit more…wary. Hm. It seems they became cautious now, compared to how they were when they were in Traverse Town. They seem aware of the possible danger within this realm. But, hmm…he can’t afford to be spotted by them. While it would have been easier to deal with them himself…he can’t let them in on the fact of what’s going on. His mission.

He COULD let them be, yes but…hmm…perhaps a test? They had faced Nightmares, true, but not all of them are ‘small’.

Yes…he could test them. To see how far they had gotten. How strong they are. They had experience in facing monsters – the Heartless – yes, but let’s see on how they handle a stronger Nightmare. Individually. He has to see what they’re capable of separately first. Now…what could he manifest…?

Hm. Maybe that one? It could summon in other stronger Nightmares and it could split them up for a time. To see how they fight.

Yes, a Spellican Nightmare can do.

He’ll have to wait for the right opportunity to call it in to split them…

…Actually, wait.

He looked to the ‘top’. Silently, he quickly made his way to the Sorcerer’s Loft. He soon got out three books, looking over at them. Hm. Yes. This could work. He now has the means to observe them as well, at least.

Two birds, one stone.

-

This world didn’t seem much different from the original tower. That’s the first impression at least. But one can’t be too careful, really.

Isa made sure not to repeat their mistake. Time is of the essence, yes, but he won’t go blind in there. Their targets are the Lord Kyroo and Keeba Tiger; one special, the other isn’t. He searched the library, as they were getting ready once more to find a book on what they look like. He would rather know what they look like first before they move on.

Lord Kyroo is frog-like, wearing a cape, having a shield in its right hand, and a sword in its left, and having a crown on its head. The Nightmare is normally colored in dark turquoise, the shield being yellow and black. The hands and feet (stubby, three-toed limbs) are colored yellow and magenta. The cape is purple with pale-violet polka dots while the crown is colored green with magenta tones. The under belly is colored with a darker yellow.

The Keeba Tiger resembles a tiger with long, large fangs. It’s colored mostly black with neon green markings on the sides, and over the eyes. The ‘armor’ bits are in shades of magenta, purple and blue, around the tale, sides of the legs, the teeth, and the extensions from the head, like a helmet.

At least he knows what they look like now. He showed Lea and Aqua the pictures of what they look like, so they know what to find. As soon as they find them and beating the crap out of them to get those pieces…it’s possible they wouldn’t drop them as often, but they can’t give up.

…It didn’t help settle his unease at all, though.

“…Didn’t look any different,” Lea spoke up. Right. Back to the present.

“I’d imagine not,” Isa mused.

Lea looked around. “So…how are we supposed to find those ‘portals’? Is there…I dunno, a means to get to them from here? Or something?”

“Let’s take a look around here first, then look around in the tower,” Aqua suggested. “It would narrow our search a lot better.”

“Hmm…right. We don’t know what was different in the past,” Isa conceded, crossing his arms. “Let’s look around carefully then.” They checked around the front area of the Mysterious Tower for a little while but found nothing. Yet, Isa can’t shake the feeling that they’re being…watched. It went away soon after…but he still can’t shake that feeling.

Finding that there’s nothing in the front, the three soon walked into the tower. The climb to the loft was surprisingly short, compared to the first time they entered (in the future, anyway). When they entered…nothing looks out of the ordinary – so far. 

“…It’s so quiet here,” Lea murmured. “Where’s Mickey? Shouldn’t he, like, be here?”

“Maybe it’s early in the morning?” Aqua suggested, though the suggestion is weak. “Or he’s doing something else?”

Isa narrowed his eyes. “Yeah, I don’t think so.” Something’s…wrong. Very wrong-

A familiar sound of a Nightmare appearing is heard. They turned around- seeing a new Nightmare. It resembles a large bird in a generic mage’s cloak and hat. Its arm-like wings are lined with piano keys, and end in five feathered fingers. The bottom of its body hides its feet and is decorated with bells. It wears a wig-like spell book underneath its hat, with the pages resembling hair. Underneath its beak, it has a curled, yellow pouch-like part on its neck. In its ‘hand’, it carries a broom with it, which has a purple shaft and a glass-looking sphere on one end. It’s colored in shades of neon green, magenta and purple.

“What the hell?!” Lea yelped out in surprise.

“A Nightmare?” Aqua questioned. “How did-?”

Suddenly, bubbles appeared around the three – separately. Isa looked around, shocked. What’s going on? And…is the room getting…bigger? Or is it just him? He felt himself ‘moved’ and he’s staring _up_ at the Nightmare, hovering over its hand with the other two bubbles having Lea and Aqua.

Oh. The room didn’t get bigger. They just got smaller. But why did it-?

His stomach lurched as he was then ‘moved’ in the air. He noticed three books appearing, each of them opening up. One book is surrounded in a pink score, the second is the same but with a blue score and the last one has a red score about it. What are those books-? He felt the same movement, tumbling in his bubble. His face pressed against the bubble, he stared at the books…

…It hits him on what it’s going to do. “No-!” He cried out- but he was soon sent into a book with the blue score around it.

The next thing he knew, he landed in…somewhere. And…is that orchestra music he’s hearing? He pushed himself up, looking around. Where is…THIS? Is this a part of the world? A world in…a book? How is this-?

Wait. Of course it would. Why is he trying to think about this some more? Nothing is ever normal in his life now. Ugh. But…hold on. If entering the book is how you get in…can you use it to get out?

Isa soon got up, looking around. The music played as he does so (who the hell is playing it? It sounds like it’s around him). He soon spotted a similar looking book on a stand, with the blue notes around it. He smiled and took a step- but stopped himself. Wait. This is too easy.

As if to prove him right, a Nightmare materialized. But this one is huge. It resembles a monkey wearing a box, yet it has no legs. It snatched the book in its hand before it ‘flew’ off.

“Hey!” He shouted at it, but it’s gone. He grimaced. Great. Looks like he has to go after it to get out.

But…he should also keep an eye out for his other objectives too. Who knows if this would be his only change to get the Brilliant Fantasies. Huffing through his nose, he brought out his Keyblade. _‘Let’s get this over with,’_ he thought.

He may be alone…but, at least he can defend himself now. He’ll think of this as a test to see if he could fight alone when the time comes.

He only hopes that Aqua and Lea can be all right themselves.

-

Lea isn’t having a good time. Doesn’t this feel familiar?

He was running for his life as he was being shot at – yes, shot at – by a giant bat-like thing with guns on its hands. The wings it has is a mockery of sorts – though beautiful and made of stained glass, it’s keeping a dangerous monster afloat. He ended up in the book with the pink notes (why pink? It isn’t that he’s against the color, just…why?), in a place with clouds and rainbows. Bright and cheery…if you exclude the fact that he’s being attacked by monsters.

While Lea had his bias against Flowmotion before, he’s very thankful for having a skill like that now. That way, he could at least go about the clouds by riding on rainbows before they were broken (he honestly hopes they aren’t important).

The Nightmare stole the book he came out of, but he’s more focused on not dying right now. Eyes narrowed, he timed it right…before he jumped- and hit the Nightmare in the face with a point-blank fireball. It sent it falling down below the clouds. He landed back on the clouds, before turning to watch it go down. “…Here’s hoping that book didn’t get damage,” he muttered. He’ll have to find his way down now. He’ll need that book to even get out anyway. Hopefully he could also run into those Nightmares Isa had shown them. Nodding, he looked around, spotting a mountain.

Using the clouds and the rainbows, he got to the top, climbing his way down. While the path isn’t so good, Lea was able to make use of his climbing skills to progress a bit further down. After traversing down, he soon walked into…a rather colorful forest. Literally. It’s colored in pastel hues, with there being…what, thunderclouds overhead(?) – what a strange forest.

…This, uh, music’s going to drive him bonkers. He rubbed his ear a bit. Who the hell is playing the music? Now that he thought about it, when he hits that Nightmare, there was…a drumbeat? What is this shit?

He shook his head. “Well, at least I could hear myself talk,” Lea muttered. He heard the familiar sound of Nightmares appearing. He got out his Keyblade on reflex, seeing a couple of new Nightmares. Frog-like, having a frying pan and a chef hat- but wait. The tiger-like ones with the long teeth…

Well, what luck! Those must be the Keeba Tigers. Let’s hope he’s lucky enough for them to drop a Brilliant Fantasy.

“All right let’s see if my luck holds out,” Lea muttered, in a stance.

-

Well, this is a strange…predicament.

The first thing that happened when they got here was to get sucked into a ‘world’ within a world. The 100 Acre Wood is one thing but…well. The situation now is different.

That world isn’t infested with monsters of darkness (in what form they may have) but this one? ‘Diving’ down and taking care of a large, bee-like Nightmare? Where did that first Nightmare even come from? Why would it just send them into these books?

Maybe it was a good idea to stay with Lea and Isa after all – but she didn’t expect THIS to happen.

Aqua had to maneuver through the air to dodge the attacks. She could at least use her barriers, and even slow her decent as well. Still, this is a rather…unique ‘fight’. She was sure she saw that bird-like Nightmare manifest the giant bee as it went by her. Did it have the ability to summon Nightmares?

If so, they’ll need to deal with it soon before it could summon more. First though, her current adversary.

Eyes narrowed, she yelled as she launched a Mega Flare spell at it.

-

Golden colored eyes looked over at the small ‘portals’ he made. Calmly, he watched the progress of the three as they dealt with their own enemy.

While the blue haired woman isn’t exactly…impressive – don’t get him wrong, she moves with grace, and clearly an expert in magic – she had fought a lot of things, despite being trained. Rather, his attention is on the two boys. Lea and Isa.

Lea’s frame is thin. Not so deathly thin, merely wiry. While it’s obvious he has developed some muscle, he’s using his thinner frame to his advantage. Though he’s using magic to spin and twirl his Keyblade around, it’s interesting that the weapon’s form change resembles the weapons his Replica wields. Chakrams, mostly fit for long range, and not exactly good at close range – but he made do with them, using them as a conduit in using magic. Mostly fire, but others as well.

He is rather resourceful, if not creative with his attacks. Taught well but could deal with the extra experience.

Isa, on the meanwhile, utilizes strength. Not as muscular, but he does have strength packed into him. His defense is lacking, but he made up for it by having a barrier around him. Interesting that he wields his weapon backwards, that it, too, took on a form that resembles his Replica’s. A claymore. Though he didn’t see Saïx as mostly physical, and relies more on the Berserk ability of his, Isa is the opposite. While he uses his strength, he isn’t exactly a muscle head. He’s adaptive. In fact, both he and Lea are adaptive. Perhaps one has to be within the dark realm.

But, they’re still amateurs.

The two are content with facing a lot of Nightmares – while the female ‘master’ had been dealing with the Nightmares the Spellican conjured up. He might not have much time before either of them decides to leave…

He didn’t blink when he heard the familiar formation of a dark corridor manifesting. “Well, well…didn’t expect to see you here.”

Xehanort didn’t turn to look at the newcomer. Another vessel from the same ‘line’ as the woman he had chosen. “Is there something you need?” He questioned, getting to the point.

His ‘companion’ merely approached. “I know that we’re supposed to head to a certain point in time, but it’s easy to just ‘jump’ to another place. Shame I can’t exactly do much.” A pause, with him taking the time to regard the ‘portals’ Xehanort had made to observe the three. “Huh, so the ‘master’ is here. And those two?”

“A pair of ‘lost’ boys that had lost some years of their lives,” he answered. “Being trapped in the dark realm could do that to you.”

“Dark realm. You mean THE realm of darkness?” Came the incredulous inquiry. His callous companion snorted. “I’m surprised they even lived this long. They most likely got lucky.”

“Survived they did, however,” he pointed out. He regarded the portal with the blue haired woman. “She was lost in the dark herself, until she got out.” His eyes shifted back to the two boys. “These two, however…they were meant to have Nobodies, and yet they avoided that fate. The Nobody of my future-self had replicas of them created, to fill in the blanks.”

His companion wasn’t impressed. “Gee, inducing memory loss onto himself is one thing, but why the hell would he need a pair of dreks to fill in slots anyone else could have filled in?”

“I do not claim to know how thinks,” Xehanort admitted. “I could only assume he has to, to preserve fate’s course.”

“Whatever.” A pause. “…So, the blue haired kid. His replica has that ‘berserk’ ability or whatever, right?”

“To my knowledge, yes.” Xehanort’s eyes shifted. “Are you going to provoke him?” It wasn’t a question.

“Well, as I’ve found…” his companion began as a hand reached out for the portal showing Lea. It’s covered, a red vambrace over black, gloved hands. “To get under one’s skin…” the fingers curled around the red-haired boy, “it is to go for what’s ‘closest’ to them.”

-

Lea jerked. He looked around warily. For some reason…he felt a chill crawl up his spine.

Any other time, he could have brushed it off as ‘nothing’. But he knew better. But he didn’t know what’s worse – the knowledge of that feeling, or the fact he knows that, in some places, his life is in constant danger. He needs to find that flying Nightmare, and soon.

He checked over his inventory. He still has his healing items, just in case…and though he left the other pieces back at the tower, he at least managed to get at least two Brilliant Fantasies. That’s at least one mission down. Now to get out of here.

He looked around the area. He’s sure this is where it would have generally be around – the field is mostly rainbow-colored, dotted with pavilions. It has wings, so is it merely flying around? It could have found him in that forest or gone back after him during his decent down the mountain. He didn’t think he had done more damage to it than he thought; he knew better.

The only thing he could do is to keep on his guard. And though he _knew_ it wasn’t smart, the only way to lure out your target…

Is to make yourself ‘open’ to them. He kept his eyes on the ground in case it decided to take flight again.

Soon enough, he saw a large shadow going overhead. He looked up- and sure enough, there it is. Lea narrowed his eyes. It’s got the flight advantage. How does he get it down? He looked around. He can’t expect it to come flying down at him, and for him to hit it. Maybe if he has something to get up to it? Or shoot it down…?

He spotted a Pegasus looking Nightmare going about. Lea pursed his lips…before shrugging. “Eh. Screw it,” he said before he hurried after the Pegasus- and quickly jumped on it. It neighed, beginning to buck him off. He smacked the back of its head. “None of that!” He ordered. It…whined? “Look, get me up there, and I’ll let you go.” The Nightmare gave him an incredulous look. “Look, I’m low on options. Just do it.”

The Pegasus shook its head before it used its wings to take flight. Lea kept a firm hold onto it, so it wouldn’t try anything. He glanced up. He shouldn’t expect it to let them approach it. He should do what he can to protect it before he gets close. “Easy,” he said to the Nightmare before he formed a fireball in his hand. It wouldn’t be smart to use the Keyblade and potentially agitate it.

Like he expected, it noticed them, and tried to shoot them down. He launched the fireballs to intercept them, making them blow up in the air, and maneuvered the Pegasus to dodge the others. Lea narrowed his eyes, calling forth more fire orbs. But it took off flying. “Okay, so you’d rather make this difficult, huh?” The red head muttered. “Okay then…” he urged the Pegasus Nightmare gently, urging it to go after it. It looked at him. “Please help me out?” He asked it.

It snorted, shaking its head…but, surprisingly, obeyed, taking off after it. “Thank you!”

It was a strange aerial battle. Lea attacking it with his magic – from fire orbs, to thunder, even aero – he just has to wear it down enough for him to get close. Maneuvering in the air was…something. He never rode on a horse before, especially a flying one, but he’s making do.

He’s almost close. What could he do to have it stay put for him to jump onto it’s back…?

Lea pursed his lips. Could he try THAT? Sure, he made something similar, but…

Wait. There’s actually one other spell he has up his arsenal. He had been using Zero Gravity…but, could he do Gravity itself?

One way to find out.

“Okay, follow along with what I’m gonna do,” Lea said to the Nightmare. He directed it close to the other flying Nightmare. He had to get close…he formed a fire ball, but not yet releasing it. Closer…closer…

They got close, and it swung its arm to knock them down-

“Dive!” Lea commanded and jumped off of the Pegasus Nightmare just as it dove. They just narrowly dodged the attack- and Lea held out his hands, firing the fire ball at its face once more. As it reeled back in pain, covering its eyes, Lea summoned his Keyblade, pointing at it while mustering a lot of power into this spell. “FORCE!”

A sphere of dark energy formed over at it – a lot…bigger than he had anticipated. It struggled against it…but the wings cracked- and shattered. It roared as it fell to the ground, its shattered wings falling…

And Lea’s stomach lurched, remembering that he’s in the air. “Oh crap!” He yelped out as he fell.

He didn’t fall far, though. To his surprise, the Nightmare he rode on caught him. It flew down to the ground…and upon landing, bucked him off. He only yelped before landing on the ground. Lea pushed himself up, looking up at the flying horse-like Nightmare, which snorted. Lea stood up. “Well, thanks for the save,” he said to it. “Go on now.” He shooed it off before he took off to find that giant Nightmare.

He didn’t have to look long, as it soon crashed. And he isn’t exactly surprised to see that it got up.

“Sturdier than you look,” Lea remarked, calling forth his Keyblade. He shoulders it. “All right, let’s get this over with.”

It was a formidable foe, admittedly. Though it lost its aerial advantage, it can keep him at a distance with its extendable ‘arms’, shockwaves, as well as firing magic orbs at him. Luckily for him, he didn’t have to be close to fight it. He has a couple of Ethers on him (just in case), so he could simply launch spells at it. He took care not to use up all of them, though. He form-changed his Keyblade into the chakrams, lobbing them at the Nightmare.

It tried to do its ‘rocket’ punch at him, but he nimbly dodged to the side- and grabbed onto it. As it pulled back to the body, Lea jumped off at the last second…and hit the Nightmare with yet another point-blank fireball attack. It’s stronger than before…

…completely obliterating its head.

He jumped off of the body as it disappeared into sparks of light, retrieving his Keyblade. “Well, that was overkill,” he remarked. “But, at least it’s dead.” He huffed. He looked around a bit. Huh. Where did the book go? He was sure that the Nightmare had it…did it drop it somewhere? He heaved a sigh. He plants the Keyblade into the ground, before sitting down. “Well, a breather wouldn’t hurt.”

After he gets some rest, he’ll go out and search for the book. No point in looking for it when exhausted, right? Right.

After resting for a few minutes, he stood up, pulling his weapon out. “Well, let’s take a look,” he huffed, shouldering it. It’s a book that has a pink score of a sort around it, right? It shouldn’t be had to miss.

He walked around the area for a while, trying to find the book. So far, no luck.

He huffed, scratching his head. “Where did that even land…?”

“Looking for something?”

Lea froze at an unexpected voice. A rather… _menacing_ one. Slowly, he turned his head, looking over his shoulder. Someone approaches him. Someone wearing a mostly black bodysuit with red on it. A silver helmet is over the head, with a black dome over the head. A mostly black skirt held up by red belts, and having red at the ends, hangs around his waist.

Lea’s eyes went at the newcomer, turning to him. “Who…?!” He felt like something about the way the guy is dressed is…familiar. Why?

“So, you’re Lea, huh?” The male asked, sounding as if it’s through a menacing smile. He raised his black covered hand to tap his temple. “I got that…memorized.”

Lea carefully looked over at the figure, on the defensive. A black helmet, mostly black outfit with red…why is it familiar…?

He narrowed his eyes at the person. “…Does the name ‘Aqua’ mean anything to you?”

The black garbed male lowered his hand. “Oh. So the ‘master’ told you about me, huh? Guess I left an impression on her.”

Lea’s eyes went wide a little at that realization. “You’re…Vanitas?” He breathed out. The dark half of Ventus…but… “How are you here? Didn’t they…?”

“Oh, I remember that all too well,” Vanitas said softly. He slowly approached Lea, with the latter tensing. “Being struck down like that. Not just by the ‘Master’, but also that weakling.”

‘Weakling’? Is he talking about…Ven? Ven also struck him down? How? A lot of questions ran through his head.

“Interesting that you got a Keyblade. Who bequeathed you one?” Vanitas asked, mockingly. “Do you even know how to use it?”

Lea narrowed his eyes at the black clad boy before him. Tightens his hold on his weapon. “Why are you here?” He questioned. “HOW are you here?”

“How?” Vanitas parroted…before his shoulders shook. And cackled. “Well, wouldn’t THAT be an interesting story, now would it?” His voice hardens. “The ‘how’ is of no business of yours to know. Though as for ‘why’…well…”

Sparks covered Vanitas’ hand – and in darkness and lightning, a weapon formed.

…And the eyes on that weapon is…creepy. Like they’re looking right at him. Parts of it seems to be made up of gear parts, with chains around it. But the shape is unmistakable.

Keyblade.

Vanitas held it up overhead. “I want to hear you _squeal_.”

“…Well, fu-”

-

With a yell, Isa slams his weapon into the monkey-like Nightmare, sending it plowing into the ground. In sparks of light, the Nightmare fades away. He heaved a sigh, planting his Keyblade into the ground, kneeling before it. Allowing himself to catch his breath.

That was…admittedly tough.

This one is potent with magic. Mage oriented Nightmare? And it kept its distance from him with those magic arms of it.

But, he defeated it. All by himself.

The Lord Kyroo was…something. With its own army of Kyroos it controls. From chefs to knights. It was a surprise to find one alone…and a surprise that it challenged him to a duel. Wanting a Brilliant Fantasy – perhaps hoping that at least this one could have one before moving on to finding others – he accepted it. He was only surprised that he didn’t get steamrolled (there were moments where it felt like his aura was on the verge of being depleted enough times. More than he could count, really). While it would have been natural to take care of the stragglers…they would overwhelm him with numbers. So he had to be creative with how he faces it. And he managed to overcome it himself. The Lord Kyroo seems pleased with the duel. Though, he was disappointed that it didn’t leave behind a Brilliant Fantasy.

It was made up when he managed to deal with the portal back at the cold parts of this book. And it was when he had encountered the Nightmare that took his ticket out of there.

It was hard fought, and well fought.

Once he’s rested enough, Isa pushed himself up, looking around. He spotted what he was looking for, lying on the ground. He hefts his Keyblade over his shoulder, walking over to it. Picking it up, he looks over at it. “Well, I got it, so how do I get out…?”

As if to answer his question, the book glowed before a bright light flashed. He closed his eyes, looking away from the sudden bright light…

…And when the light faded, he squinted them open. Finding himself back in the loft. He looked around. Looks like he’s the first to finish.

_‘Guess I could take the time to relax a bit, and wait for them,’_ he thought. He looked around before he drags a box out. After dusting it off, he sat on top of it. Isa heaved a sigh.

He took the time to check his inventory. He still has some potions in stock, including some ethers. And other than the Dream Pieces he had gotten from the Nightmares, are the green stars with another star within. Brilliant Fantasies. He’s got two. Other than that set back, this proved fruitful in the end. Once Lea and Aqua are out of their own books, they can leave and start making their Dream Eaters. At least they could be able to get some decent sleep now-

_-scream-_

Isa jerked. His pulse quickened. He slowly stood up, looking around…then directed his gaze on the book with the pink notes.

“…Lea?” He breathed out.

-

Clashing steel was heard as Lea shot fireballs at his enemy, but the enemy soon deflected three of them...but when the fourth one hit him... he looked to be frozen in place. "HAH"! Lea grinned before noticing-

He notes Vanitas above. "Nope!" He slams his weapon down with Lea narrowing dodging the attack.

"Oh come on, what was THAT?" Lea exclaimed, throwing his hands out.

"Chatty, aren't you?" Vanitas asked him.

"I'm just saying," Lea said before he ducked under a swing. He charged a fireball- but used it to make a blast that pushes the two back. Allowing Lea more breathing room. Lea soon shifted to Chakrams before hurling them. Vanitas soon deflecting one of them away before blocking the second one.

Effectively deflecting them back.

Lea did a take- but his face shifts to serious. He quickly dismissed the Chakrams, calling them back to his hands.

"Not bad, for a lost boy," Vanitas remarked.

"Well, barely to someone four yours like you," Lea shot back, letting one of his chakrams hang a little.

"I know better fighters who has more experience. Then again.. I was trained by a good master." Vanitas replied. "The only training you got is form a fledgling master."

_‘Well, he’s not wrong,’_ Lea mentally huffed. He narrowed his eyes. “Speaking of, why would you work with that old coot?”

“I have my own reason,” the black clad boy curtly responded. “But I’m sure you won’t live long enough to figure that one out for long.” He rushed in at Lea.

Lea braced himself.

Above, a star flashed-

And Vanitas halted himself, looking up.

Lea heard a yell, before he was knocked back by some force. He merged his chakrams back into his Keyblade to skid himself to a halt. Once he's stopped, he looked up- and looked surprised.

"Isa!?"

Indeed, it's his companion. There was a crater under Vanitas, who had blocked the attack from the blue haired boy. Isa gritted his teeth, before he flipped back, landing in a crouch before jumping back.

"And there's the other lost boy," Vanitas drawled out as Isa narrowed his eyes at him.

"Isa, how'd you-?" Lea began with Isa looking at him.

"We'll talk later," he said, serious. "C'mon, let's beat that guy back."

“Well, I’d like to see you try,” Vanitas said – there was a hint of arrogance in his voice.

The two boys looked at each other before nodding. They soon got into a stance.

“All right, then come on,” Vanitas said, back into his stance.

"Careful, he's got like...the thing where it looks like you hit him but reappears again," Lea whispered to Isa. "While leaving behind a copy."

"What, an after-image?" Isa whispered back.

Lea pursed his lips a bit. "Is that what it is?" He whispered-

Before the two noticed and barely dodged a fireball attack.

"Wide open!" Vanitas pounced at Lea; his gear-like weapon drawn back.

Lea noticed him and at the last second, had a solid fire shield up to block the attack.

"Huh. Pyrokinesis. Not bad."

Vanitas noted something, and he (and Lea) jumped back to avoid the (transformed) Keyblade that hit the ground. Isa grabbed the hilt, but instead of pulling it out, he used it as a makeshift pole, shifting his weight to kick away Vanitas.

"Tch!" Vanitas let out to this upon taking the hit.

Isa landed back on his feet, using the momentum to pull his claymore out, flipping it. As he does so, Lea came at Vanitas, the two locking their Keyblades. Lea ducked away, Isa swinging his weapon- but Vanitas back flipped the swing to avoid the attack. But that didn't deter Isa, forcing Vanitas on the defensive, blocking the strikes.

Growling, Vanitas curled his other hand into a fist- and socks Isa in the face. Though while Isa is disoriented, Lea came in, the two engaging in an exchange of blows.

Vanitas sneered under his helmet before taking a hit-

And appearing above. “You wish!” He growled with Lea noting it. But Vanitas is faster, striking Lea when he tried to evade again. With Lea knocked away, Vanitas turned to Isa, soon blasting the blue haired boy away, sending him flying.

Isa regained himself, throwing his Keyblade behind him. It sticks to the ground- which he grabbed onto. Using it to slow himself down. It skidded back a few until he came to a stop. Isa huffed. _‘I can see how that’s annoying,’_ he thought irritably.

Vanitas narrowed his eyes before he dove into the ground, creating a shadow. Lea noted it. _‘Oh what now?’_ He thought, on the defensive.

As if to answer his question, Vanitas soon shot up and unleashed dark fireballs, spinning around like a top, going higher to make them spread out. The two boys managed to erect shields (the fire shield for Lea and the barrier for Isa) in time to block the brunt of it. Isa narrowed his eyes, watching Vanitas, who soon dove back into the ground…and the shadow went to Lea.

“Watch out!” Isa warned, with Lea noticing.

“Oh crap!” Lea yelped out before he dove out of the way of the attack. He swatted some fireballs out of the air as he ran.

But as he did that, Vanitas dove into the ground one more time- and with Lea distracted, Vanitas got under him. Lea noticed it too late until he was launched into the air. He erected his shield, curling into himself- but he still got hit by the dark fireballs with him yelling. (There was an odd sound, with something shimmering over Lea before it’s gone. His aura is depleted.) That…freaking _hurts_!

“Lea!” Isa cried out before he took off. Timing it right, Isa jumped- catching Lea in his arms. He shifted in the air, landing on the ground with his feet.

Once they’re safe, Isa huffed. Lea looked at him, startled. “…Should I say something witty here?”

Isa gave him a flat look. “No.”

“Right. But…” Lea groaned, exhausted, “I can’t hold him back.”

“Yeah. He’s tough,” Isa mused. “But of course he is – he DID train under Xehanort after all.”

“Hey…can you handle him? I-I need a break.”

Isa noted it…and nodded. “Leave it to me.” He sets Lea down, before narrowing his eyes at Vanitas as Lea backs off. He calls his Keyblade back to him, twirling it before he held it backwards behind him.

“Heh,” Vanitas snorted. “You might have power, but I can out speed you, Moon boy.”

“I know,” Isa acknowledged. He is fast, he can give him that. But. “Doesn’t mean I won’t try though.” Though, Isa knew that he can’t beat Vanitas…but he could at least try to outlast the dark Keyblade user a little longer.

Vanitas smirked under his helmet as the fight begins: with Isa using Thunder to hit Vanitas before he lunges at Vanitas. A hit. He quickly used that opening to grab Vanitas to hurl him away- but there was a floating after-image. Isa noted it, quickly raising his Keyblade and ducked down. He was in time to guard against Vanitas’ retaliation.

Grunting, Isa shifted his eyes a bit – should he break this to catch Vanitas off guard, or roll away? Then again, Vanitas is faster. He’ll have to play this carefully.

Keyblade in hand, he soon swung it in a circle to throw. The Keyblade revolved around him as a defensive barrier.

Vanitas jumped back to avoid the attack- but Isa isn’t done yet. Isa kicked up a rock, grabbing at it. He charged it with a spell – with it covered in frost – before hurling it at Vanitas.

Vanitas noticed it. “Clever brat-” He got hit by the rock, freezing him in ice.

Isa narrowed his eyes. That can’t be easy…

But…they can’t stay here. Isa took his eyes off of Vanitas to hurry to Lea. “C’mon, we gotta get out of here,” he said to his friend.

Lea nodded. “I hear ya. I still need to find that book though. I took care of the Nightmare that had it but…”

Right. It was the same for Isa too. Odd that Lea hadn’t gotten it yet.

Though, there’s only one real attempt. If there’s a way to signal Aqua then…

But what?

Before he had time to think of it- a loud crack is heard. Both heads turned to the ice keeping Vanitas contained. There’s a visible crack on it.

“Oh crap,” Lea meeped out-

“ **Too slow.** ” They turned-

The next thing they knew, they were sent flying, before tumbling (harshly) on the ground, their ears ringing. It was a surprise that they survived an explosion of fire like that, at point blank…

(Thank goodness for Aura.)

But, they still got the burns.

Isa groaned, but couldn’t hear his own voice due to the ringing in his ears. His vision is blurry. With a few blinks, it began to clear. Slowly. He saw Lea nearby, twitching.

Lea barely managed a groan, barely moving. Lea’s hand moved before clutching Isa’s hand. It’s…grounding. Isa focused on that, the ringing fading out. He could hear himself panting now. He looked up…seeing Vanitas approaching them. “Still alive, aren’t we?” He asked them casually.

Gritting his teeth, Isa struggled to push himself up- only for something to force him back down. An unexpected weight.

“What…?!” Isa muttered before noticing several strange creatures holding him down. They’re blue colored and sleek looking, having red eyes.

Are these…Unversed? Why are they…?

Isa felt Lea’s hand slip off from his, prompting him to look up- to see Vanitas lifting Lea by the straps on his back. Like he’s a baby kitten.

“How the hell did you two even survive down there? You should have just accepted your fates back there,” Vanitas said to them. “You’re still wet behind the ears.”

“Ehh…I guess we just can’t die that easily.” Vanitas grunted, unimpressed at Lea’s back talk.

“That right?” Vanitas asked as Isa struggled to stand. “Well then…in that case.” Vanitas suddenly drops Lea- but before he could even touch the ground, Vanitas punches him to send him sprawling.

“Lea!” Isa cried out, as Lea struggled to push himself up with Vanitas approaching the red head. Lea had only gotten to his knees- before Vanitas grabs him by the neck and pins him to the wall. Lea grunted, hands around Vanitas’ wrist, too exhausted to really struggle free.

“I think I’ll just go ahead and take care of you,” Vanitas said casually as he summons his Keyblade. “Take out the weakling after all.”

Isa struggled a bit more, before trying to fight the Unversed off. “Get off…!”

Vanitas held up the Keyblade, ready to plunge it into his victim.

Isa looked back up with his eyes wide. Lea’s eyes are closed. He’s trying to struggle a little more, moaning.

This is…no.

No. NonononononononononononoNONONONO!

He can’t…!

He can’t lose anyone else close to him!

He has to-!

_-must-protect-Lea._

_Have to protect._

_Protect_

_Protect…_

_PROTECT!!!_

(A crack. The sound of glass breaking and shattering.)

Isa felt a…pulse within him. His eyes snapped open, with them glowing silver. Vanitas was about to run his Keyblade through Lea when he felt something. He looked back at Isa, seeing him covered in a silver-blue aura…and then, bellowed a roar that knocked the Unversed off of him, making Vanitas brace against it. He lowered his arm- his eyes went wide, releasing Lea’s neck. And he had just barely kept his arm from being broken from that vicious swing. Vanitas braced himself once more as Isa swung his weapon, knocking him back.

Vanitas flipped in the air to recover, landing on the ground. Looking up, he saw Isa standing before Lea (slumped on the ground, coughing and wheezing), his face in a snarl. The black garbed boy narrowed his eyes. This is certainly ‘berserk’ all right…but, something’s different. His replica, when in berserk, has his eyes glow yellow. Why are his _silver_?

Once Lea regained his breath he looked up, seeing Isa before him…but with an aura around him. “…Isa…?” He breathed out.

Isa planted his Keyblade into the ground, taking a moment to pop his knuckles…before he picks it up again. Soon enough, Isa rushed at the black clad boy.

“Tch…!” Vanitas sneered before engaging with the blue haired boy. The unusual berserk made Isa’s swings faster. Vanitas had to flip away from an axe-strike- and it created a crater where he was. Taking that time, Vanitas sent a kick to knock Isa back- but not far, as Isa was able to brace himself. He kicked his weapon up to make it ‘stand’ up straight, while also knocking Vanitas back. He grabs his Keyblade once more before he bats the dark Keybearer back.

Vanitas grunted, staggering a bit. “Not bad.”

Isa didn’t reply. Instead, he came at Vanitas once more.

Vanitas rolled his eyes. Tch. Predictable-

Isa’s Keyblade suddenly changed its form back into the claymore- but the more savage variant of it. Yet, instead of using it to hit Vanitas, Isa used it as a leverage to get into the air…before hurling it at Vanitas.

Vanitas leapt out of the way. “I guess I shouldn’t be impress-” He got interrupted by the shockwave, Vanitas grunting with him locked up a bit. He noted the sparks over his body. That cheeky little…!

Isa slams back onto the ground, grabbing his claymore- and sent Vanitas flying with a powerful strike.

Vanitas yelled from the blow. He bounced on the ground before he rolled to his knees, skidding a bit. He looked up, a part of his helmet cracked, seeing Isa approaching him, dragging his weapon behind him. Vanitas huffed a laugh. “Didn’t think…you had such a vicious power to ya,” he mused.

To think that all it took was nearly gutting the little pyromancer.

An awful thought came into Vanitas’ head. Under his helmet, he gave a vicious smile. “I wonder…if you could still keep yourself together…if I went ahead and silenced that little loudmouth, eh?”

Isa jerked- it stopped him from approaching. His body shook. His eyes narrowed, and his mouth quivered, as if to make a snarl.

Ah. He’s trying to control himself now. But for how long?

Vanitas’ smile turns a little evil. “Don’t believe me? I could just teleport right over there now and take his heart.” Isa’s eyes narrowed at him, sneering at Vanitas. “I could hear his screams already…”

Isa growled…but turned and rushed to Lea- just as Vanitas warped away-

Lea had recovered enough, pushing himself to stand- and jumped when he saw Vanitas reappear before him. Lea didn’t have time to react-

But someone else did, as Vanitas was knocked out of the air by a barrage of fire spells. He landed at a distance, glaring up at the source.

After staring for a moment in shock, Lea looked over to the source himself…seeing Aqua, having her Keyblade out. She had a stern look on her face, pointing it at Vanitas. “Leave them alone,” she said darkly.

Vanitas sneered at her. “Well, the Master returns,” he said scathingly, slowly standing up. “Fancy meeting you here.”

Aqua looked over at Vanitas. It shouldn’t be possible. He should be dead.

She could have chalked it off as his heart traveling through time…but, he mentioned ‘return’.

She narrowed her eyes at him. “Why are you here, harassing my apprentices?”

“Call it a curiosity,” Vanitas shrugged. “They’re still wet behind the ears, especially in a fight.”

“Hey, screw off,” Lea retorted.

Aqua made a face. “At least tell me that you two got what we came here for.”

“Yeah,” Lea confirmed, before looking at Isa. “Though, Isa’s not in a mood to talk.”

The blue haired woman looked over at Isa, and for the first time, noticed it. The odd blue aura around him and silver eyes. If not for the fact that he’s only standing still – other than pointing his weapon at Vanitas – one would think of him as…feral. Yet…Aqua could sense something powerful about him. _‘I can sense…a lot of magic to it,’_ she thought.

Has this always been within Isa? Is this what Yen Sid was talking about?

Aqua narrowed her eyes and slightly shook her head. Questions for later. For now though. Keeping her narrowed eyes at him, she walked to stand before Lea. “Leave,” she ordered him.

Vanitas narrowed his eyes behind the dome. He could take her…but, he’s still feeling the attacks from the berserk’d kid. Besides…he got what he came for anyway. “If you insist. Fighting a master after being thrashed by that kid’s berserk seems like trouble anyway.” Soon, he seemingly fades away.

Once he’s gone…Lea heaved a sigh before slumping. Aqua looked at him in concern. “Are you okay?” She asked- but paused, going over the question in her head. “Well, that’s a dumb question, isn’t it?”

Lea had a small smile. “You think?”

The two looked at Isa, who lowered his weapon…but still has the aura and silver eyes.

The two glanced at each other in worry. Lea looked away. “He’s gone, Isa,” he said, slightly reaching out. “Ease off the throttle of…whatever you’re using.”

At first, silence. It was as if Isa didn’t hear them…before the aura fades out. Isa’s eyes went wide, returning to the sea green color. He staggered, holding his head, dropping his Keyblade. He carefully cradles his head with the weapon being banished. “Ugh…that…that was something…”

“What the heck was that?” Lea asked him.

“I don’t know…” Isa responded. “When Vanitas was about to…” Isa grimaced. “About to strike you down, I just…snapped.”

The two approached Isa. “Uh…listen, I’m only asking because I’m worried for you as a friend, but…” Lea reached out slightly. “Are you _sure_ you’re okay?”

Isa noted it, before thinking about it. “…Well, other than the slowly fading headache…I’m…I’m okay. Other than…exhausted.” He wasn’t kidding. The fight, and…whatever it was that Isa used left him _tired._

Lea looked over at him…before nodding. “…Well, that’s good,” he said, taking Isa’s word for it. “Let’s just get the hell out of here. I mean, we got what we came here for, right?”

“Yeah,” Isa nodded.

“By the way,” Lea raised his short eyebrow, “how’d you know that I was in trouble?”

Isa paused at that. And thought about it. “…I just… I dunno,” he answered slowly, uncertain. “I…feel like you’re in danger and rushed here. I finished up and was going to wait but…I just sensed something was wrong.” He looked at their master. “Aqua, what about you?”

“Well…when I finished with my enemy, I sensed a strange familiar darkness…” She explained. “I recognized it and got to you two as fast as I could.”

Lea groaned. “Out of the three of us, why me?” He questioned. “I get that I ain’t the strongest-”

“I will pay you to not say ‘ain’t’ again,” Isa dryly said, but Lea continued,

“-but, c’mon!”

Aqua narrowed her eyes. “…He may have done it to get to Isa,” she muttered. She didn’t have fond memories of him doing that.

Isa frowned, muttering, “Well that figures.” He huffed through his nose. “I faintly felt that he said that to try to rile me up more. I…don’t know what would happen if I just…completely lost it back there.”

“Yeah, you certainly held your temper there,” Lea remarked.

“I guess…” Still…to completely lose yourself in rage…that’s…admittedly terrifying. He was just lucky he was mostly aiming at Vanitas. Otherwise…

Isa shuddered at the thought.

Aqua perked, as if being reminded of something. “Oh, yes.” She soon got out something. “I found this lying on the ground when I was making my way here.”

It was a book…a book that Lea had been looking for.

He stared at it dumbly before covering his face with a groan. “Oh my GOD! I’ve been looking for it!” He lowered his arms, tired. “Let’s just get out of here. I had enough of this place.”

Isa got out of his thoughts to note it. “Ah, right. Let’s get out of here then.” He and Lea touched the book. It glowed brightly…

…And they soon found themselves back in the loft. Once they’re safe, the three of them sighed. Aqua placed the book down with the other two.

“Glad that’s over,” Lea huffed. He then suggests, “Lets’ get back to the real tower.”

“We’ll have to take stock of your injuries once we get out of here then,” Aqua said to them.

“How about yours?” Isa asked her.

“I had healing magic…but, I’ll get myself checked out,” Aqua promised.

The boys are too tired to argue with her. “Right. Let’s go,” Isa said. They soon left the room…

…And a small head peered out. He walked out, his long red robe trailing behind him. He scratched his head, his round ears perking. “Well that was odd. Didn’t know we had visitors.” Hm. He shrugged. Oh well. Probably not important.

-

The trio soon returned to the Mysterious Tower…and Lea winced as Isa dabbed some cleaning alcohol on him. “Quit moving, will you? You’re acting like a big baby,” Isa told him. He had bandages on him, after being tended to first.

Lea took in a sharp breath through his teeth. The burns effin’ _hurt_! Having your aura depleted _sucks_!

“I would but I can’t exactly stop how when I feel pain!”

Isa sighed. “Look, once I’m done cleaning them up, well put that salve on you to take care of the burns.”

Lea whined as Aqua and Yen Sid had spoken.

Once Aqua is done, Yen Sid leaned back, his eyes closed. Meditating on the information given to him. The appearance of Vanitas within the realm of sleep…the sudden awakening of Isa’s ability. Concerning, these things…

“…It might be possible that Xehanort might be prodding and seeing your abilities,” Yen Sid speculated. “But it is mere conjecture at this point.”

“I see…but if that is the case, he did so by using Vanitas?” Aqua questioned. Hm. Actually. “Rather, I think Vanitas merely did that himself, saying it was out of…curiosity.” To be honest, she isn’t sure if it was a lie or not. On the other hand, Vanitas was the dark half of Ventus. He did things on his own, really. As far as she could tell. But he still had his methods.

“Still…at least they’re okay,” Aqua said, looking at Lea and Isa. _For the most part,_ she added to herself.

Vanitas had been…unexpected. They weren’t ready to face someone like him. Especially since he was trained with his own powers, and by Xehanort. And she’s still a fledgling at best.

It makes her wonder…how strong is the Organization…?

Could the three of them even take them on?

…

No. It’s not for her to decide. It should be them who can decide if they could do that or not.

But…it wouldn’t be smart to resume training, even if they attain their Dream eaters.

For now though…

She looked back at Yen Sid. “Did you find anything of how to make the Dream Eaters out here?”

“We’ve searched,” Yen Sid nodded to confirm, just as Isa had finished cleaning the wounds. “And I believe we may have found something.”

Lea noted it. “Okay…what’s the idea?” He asked curiously- before the salve was applied to him. It feels… _cool_ against his skin. _‘Oh, sweet relief,’_ he thought, blissed out.

Yen Sid looked at the boys. “Well…once you get yourselves sorted out; we’ll show you.”

They looked at each other.

A while later, they’re in a different room, and informed of what they would be doing.

Once they were done…Lea put his hands on his hips. “So…lemme see if I can repeat what you’ve said,” he started…

As there’s a sort of a set on the table.

A chemistry set. “…We’re sort of applying chemistry here?”

“In a way, yes,” Merlin spoke up. “Some things _are_ done via science – like alchemy.”

Lea frowned. “…I guess that makes sense.”

“You never were good at chemistry,” Isa said to him.

“Shaddup,” Lea retorted without heat. They both know it’s true. Lea just…never found any appeal to stuff like this back then. This is, ugh. This is _awful._

Isa regarded the set, humming. “So…how do we do the creation?”

“We’ll start with something simple.” Merlin looked at Aqua. “Aqua, if you would?”

The woman noted it. “Oh, yes,” she stepped forward, setting the ingredients for the rank Joshua was kind enough to give her, as well as the recipe for it.

The boys watched as they set to work, setting it up. Lea tilted his head this way and that, scratching his head. Isa patiently waited, watching.

After a little while, Aqua soon managed to have the pieces within a vial…

Within it, it glowed brightly…and the light shot out of the vial-

Before it turned into a Meow Wow!

Aqua looked surprised before she soon catches it in her arms. It squeaked, sniffing at her…before licking her. Aqua giggled. “Stop! That tickles!”

Lea smiled softly. “Well. That worked out.”

Yen Sid nodded, smiling. “Indeed.” He looked serious. “But…now comes the hard part.”

Isa noted it. He pulled out the list. Since they got what they needed, he looked at the instructions. He hummed. “…one of us would have to go first.” He pursed his lips. He nodded. “I’ll go,” he volunteered.

“You sure?”

Isa nodded to Lea’s question. Isa soon approached, before pulling out the ingredients. He also has the Chirithy piece out as well, with it glowing softly.

He looked at the instructions.

He placed the Chirithy piece first into the flask. It goes in easily. He looked over at it, before he placed the Vibrant Fantasies into a different flask. Heating it up, they turned into liquid for him to swirl a bit. With that done, he set about to do the same for the three Vibrant Fancies, Dulcet Fantasy and Noble Fancies, separately.

He soon crushes up Brilliant Fantasies and Charming Fantasy separately as well.

With all of that done, he got out a bigger jar (and a pair of safety goggles), for him to carefully pour in the liquid Vibrant Fantasy, he poured in the Dulcet Fantasy. It changed to a unique color. He swirled it around a bit (with a tool), to make it a different color. He mixed the Vibrant Fancies with the Noble Fancies together, before pouring those into the mixture. He adds in the crushed Brilliant Fantasies first, and then the crushed Charming Fantasy.

It bubbled and fizzled.

"...Is that it?" Lea asked- before it unleashed a colorful smoke, turning into a new color. It sparkles too...before it turned into something new. Something small.

Isa plucks it from jar with a pair of tongs, looking it over. "...Well, let's see," he said. He has it over the flask the Chirithy piece is in...before he drops it.

It came into contact with the piece...before it glowed. Isa looked at his hand...before he reaches over. And has his fingers gently tap the top. A soft light enters it, covering it-

And it soon began to morph. Into something small. Something...feline-like.

Soon enough...something is snoozing in it.

They peered at it.

It resembled the Chirithy Lea and Isa met. Though...it's kind of small. It turned its back to them, showing the sigil of a Spirit.

"This is a Chirithy?" Aqua asked, holding her Meow Wow. "It's..."

"Not what you'd expect?" Lea provided.

"No, it's...cute," Aqua admitted. Her Meow Wow looked up at her, appalled she would say that. Aqua noted it before looking sheepish. "It's okay, you're cute too." It squeaked, licking her a bit.

Isa got a little closer to it. Tentatively, he tapped the round part of the flask. That single tap had it perk up, looking around. It turned around, noticing him. The two stared at each other...before it looked happy. "Master!" He cheered- and suddenly poofed out of the flash, a lot bigger suddenly.

Isa's eyes went wide before he caught it. It snuggled into his chest...but he's frozen.

"That went well," Lea remarked. So he has to do the same thing? Eh...might not end well... He looked to Isa. "Hey, Isa, could you...?" He noticed that his friend is still frozen. "...Isa?"

Silence. Then: "...Lea."

Lea blinked.

"You were right." He looked at his friend- his eyes wide. "It's soft…!"

"He's..." Isa looked down at the Chirithy in his arms, then back at his friend. "He's so soft...I...I just can't...!"

Lea stared at that...before smiling softly. "Right? Uh...mind helping me out in making my own?"

"Huh?" Isa blinked. "Oh, yeah, sure."

_'...I think I could see why a Charming Fantasy is required for it,'_ Aqua thought after seeing that.

Isa had to set his Chirithy down. "I'm helping my friend make you a new friend, okay?" Isa said to him. "So...be good, okay?" He pets the Chirithy's head.

And so, after repeating the process, and with urging from Isa, Lea put his hand gently over the opening...

...And soon enough his own Chirithy is born.

After a moment, Lea...gently pokes the glass. The Chirithy woke up, rubbing sleep out of its eyes before looking at him. After a moment...

"Master?"

"Uh...Lea, that's my name," Lea said to him. "I'm a friend." He added with a smile. "Your friend."

The Chirithy thought about it. "...Friend..." It looked happy. "I like that!" It poofed out of the flask, looking around.

Lea gently picked him up. "Nice to meet ya, little guy!" Lea greeted him happily.

The Chirithy looked happy, before snuggling up to him.

Everyone else had relieved looks.

It looks like things would be okay now.

_Omake_   
  


Isa raised an eyebrow. "Wait. I got a question for you, Lea."

"What's up?" Lea blinked. They had finished recounting to each other on what happened before they got back together.

"You had to ride on a Nightmare Dream Eater to get to the flying one, right?" Isa asked him.

"Yeah?"

"Why didn't you use your Keyblade Glider to get it?" Isa questioned him. "I mean, you could have done it faster."

Lea's face fell, making a flat look.

...

Lea ran outside.

Isa and Aqua glanced at each other. Then:

"MOTHERFUCKER!!" They heard him scream.

"...Really?" Isa muttered with a bored look.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Considering a few things, of course Xehanort - the younger version - would take notice of the trio in the Realm of Sleep. And everyone's favorite trash child popped in as well. I hope I did them right.
> 
> Also, here's a quick lore about why Isa had silver eyes when he used Berserk. As it's a part of Moon Magic, the eyes change color depending on the emotion and circumstances behind it. For silver eyes, it's born from the intense desire to 'protect'. Yellow eyes is born from 'rage', what most associate berserking with. But the causes of it can vary. There's also other versions, like blue moon or red moon - blue and red eyes. You'll be seeing those later on. Anyways.
> 
> If the battle scene isn't too hot, I'm sorry. I tried my best. I used RWBY as a reference mostly. In any case...the next chapter, they will take a well deserved break from what happened before they resume. It'll be a slice of life chapter. I've always wanted to have one written.
> 
> Stay tuned, and stay safe everyone!


	4. We Need to Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Isa and Aqua had a heart to heart with each other. Aqua learns a little more about the two. A sighting at Twilight Town had Lea absentminded.
> 
> (And apparently he and his replica share a pair of brain cells.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An attempt at a slice of life here. Several sightings of Final Fantasy VII peeps, and cameos of some OCs of mine. I hope you enjoy.

Three days had passed since then.

In an effort to take the time to relax before they resume training for real, Yen Sid urged the three of them to take their time in their recovery. The Secret Forest is the place for that, at least. Not just for training, but also for mental and physical recovery.

They also added a small routine of not just meditating, but also caring for their Dream Eaters.

When Lea heard that Chirithy can be customized, he was excited. While it was difficult to come up with something…Lea had an idea that required a teleport from Merlin to the castle, Hollow Bastion. It reminded Isa to tell Leon and the others about possible survivors still in the town. A teleport later, the boys introduced the Chirithys to them (with Lea keeping his away from Yuffie, leading to yet another spat between them that Aerith had to break up), before reporting that people are slowly coming back, and that there might be survivors. The two sadly couldn’t join up with them, however. They were understanding, and the two did promise to take what time they had to help with the reconstruction – even if it’s small, really.

Afterwards, Lea went to search…and found his keffiyeh – he wanted to give it to his Chirithy, as a small cape. It’s a little big on him…but, it gave Isa an idea for his own Chirithy. He managed to find his old jacket. It’s big on the small Dream Eater, but he wanted to take it with him to be used as a reference for the three Good Fairies. With those items in hand, they returned to the tower.

Lea’s keffiyeh was resized to be used as a small cape for the little Chirithy, and with a small black bag (a coin purse, more like) that has the design from Lea’s frisbees (and the star sigil in the middle for some reason), Lea’s Chirithy was happy with his gift from Lea.

Meanwhile, a smaller jacket in the likeness of Isa’s old one is made and fitted around his own. He also has a small bag (blue with a full moon on it, and also that star shape)…and Isa figured that one more wouldn’t hurt, having a clip-on earring on the right ear of his Chirithy. Inspired by the idea, Lea insisted on having one that matches, Lea’s Chirithy also having that earring.

Both Chirithys looked happy with what they were given. Lea was too, clapping happily and grinning. Isa shook his head with a smile.

The following days in the Secret Forest were spent learning how to care for their Dream Eaters, but also on meditation. Healthier ways to deal with what happened in the Dark Realm (and their battle with Vanitas).

Of course, while Isa chastised Lea on spoiling his Chirithy (by having him outside more often and sleeping with him like a pet), Lea playfully reminded him that he’s doing the same, feeding his own with special meals made for it. Isa didn’t deign to give Lea an answer. Well, a verbal one. He settled for flicking water at his friend’s face, since he was doing the dishes that time. He took a small bit of satisfaction at the sputter and yelp Lea made.

The past few ‘weeks’ within the Secret Forest did wonders, really. There was still a bout of nightmare at times, but…they managed it enough to be okay.

The very next day (real time), Lea and Isa decided to return to Radiant Garden – with permission. Aqua went with them, mostly to also lend a hand but to also make sure nothing happens. Merlin came along as well – he did live on the world as well, technically. The reunions were…something.

Elmyra looked a little older now, after nine years. But the surprises were of the trio, Jessie, Wedge and Biggs.

Biggs was the same age as Isa and Lea before they went into the dark realm, so it was a shock to see him an adult. Well, him, Jessie and Wedge anyway. He’s among those who helped them raise the kids, being good at being a teacher for them as some had to be homeschooled. (A couple due to disability – not always physical, but not all of them could stand crowds or noises. Not that Isa could blame them).

Jessie was two years younger than they were, but she at least kept herself busy. She helps with some of the technical sides, helping Cid out with a few of them. Funny, that she once aspired to be an actress…but, the ‘Fall’ basically cut that short.

Wedge was five years younger than Isa, Lea and Biggs…and he had certainly gotten round. He certainly got issues around his weight, but he wanted to be able to help out in rebuilding the town.

It was…a mostly strange reunion, but Lea seems happy that the three are well and okay – and in time, everyone else would be back.

At least Leon is grateful for the new help, and after some urging, is convinced to call for Scrooge to help with the reconstruction efforts (mostly by Aerith, Cid and Yuffie). Whatever deity out there knows that they would need that help, as well as the money for reconstruction.

Isa helped make the food with Elmyra for some of the people who had managed to survive and returned. It amazes Isa on how many people wanted to do their part to help. At the very least, with several people keeping the Heartless occupied, they made some decent progress in cleaning up what can be considered the residential district. Lea helped with the cleaning up, as Aqua helped keep the Heartless occupied.

At the end of the day, the three had to return to the tower with Merlin in tow. They promised to come back soon to help further in reconstruction.

That had been yesterday.

Isa is sitting at the edge of the Mysterious Tower, looking out at the sky above him. He ran over the past few days in his head.

About Master Xehanort. About what they had learned in the realm of sleep from Joshua. About Vanitas.

Organization XIII. Their plans for Naminé. His and Lea’s replicas.

…A lot had happened since then. To think, he and Lea were blissfully unaware of what was going on behind the scenes. The concept of other worlds was just…unbelievable at first. Including magic, magical weapons…things you’d see in a fairy tale. Yet, it took a chance meeting with the girl to turn their world upside down. They were naïve to the bigger plot at hand. They could have ended up with Nobodies. Could have been gaslighted into thinking they have no hearts, for the man to have his thirteen vessels. (A very believable one since they had ‘lost’ something, after all.)

What would he and Lea become had it happened? Cold, unfeeling…they would more than likely be monsters. And his own obsession to find Subject X could have blinded him. Could have…

So many ‘could haves’ that could happen.

Isa sighed heavily. Chirithy appeared next to him in a smoke. “What’s wrong?” He asked him.

“Well…just…thinking,” Isa answered.

“About what?” his Chirithy asked curiously, sitting by him.

“A lot of things.”

“What things?”

“Things that can give you anxiety.”

“That sounds bad.”

“It does,” Isa nodded. “It keeps you up at night.” He looked up at the stars above.

…He thought about back in the mirror world within the realm of darkness. About what happened. What he said.

His shoulders slumped, leaning forward. “Are you okay?” His Chirithy asked him.

“…Well…no,” Isa admitted. “Just thinking some more.”

“Is it causing you anxiety?”

Isa blinked. And smiled softly. “Well, no. Just…a different feeling.” And considering a few things...he knows what it is.

Guilt.

He had gotten to know Aqua a little more, especially after leaving the Mirror World and escaping the dark realm. How human she is. Instead of like…a ‘robot’ of sorts. That all she cared about was the mission, and not…

Well, no matter the reasoning, he still accused her of it. Still accused her of being…

He felt his Chirithy move away from him, and heard, “Someone’s coming.”

Isa looked over his shoulder to see Aqua approaching him. “Hey,” she greeted.

“Hey,” Isa greeted back. Aqua’s Meow Wow appeared the same way his Chirithy did, squeaking. Isa’s Chirithy ran over to the Meow Wow, chatting with it. As they did that, Isa looked at the woman. “What brings you out here?”

“Checking up on you,” she answered, sitting down beside him. “Apparently Lea asked Merlin to take him to a different world for an errand.”

“Ah.” Isa looked out.

“What’s wrong?” She asked him.

“…Well, thinking of a few things, really,” Isa admitted, slightly kicking his legs. “Realistically, I know that it’s only been about, what, eight days since we’ve arrived at the tower to train…but, it felt like longer. And I don’t mean with the Secret Forest.”

Aqua hummed at that. “We had been through a lot. Since we first met in the dark realm.”

Isa slightly winced at that. He thought back to that meeting, on how cold he was to her. Always looking at her in suspicion. Only because she had a Keyblade. A similar weapon Xehanort had. It wasn’t…exactly fair of him to treat her like that. But, understandable, considering that experience. He and Lea nearly got killed by Xehanort, after all. He had every right to be wary. He also barely knew Aqua at the time, other than her name and her being a wielder. And at the time, finding Lea was his top priority. He didn’t…have qualms about using her to find his friend. He didn’t care about the lonely woman, who had been stuck down there for a long while. Sure, she knew Ventus, but they barely knew the blond boy as well. He didn’t exactly…approve of Lea trying to get to know her – not that he’s jealous, he just didn’t get why Lea would make the attempt…yet, Lea had a good point. But though she offered that bit about her life before, he was still…iffy.

That’s what lead up to…

Isa covered his face.

“What’s wrong?” Aqua asked him. Sounding concerned.

Isa huffed out a sigh, sliding his hands down. “…We need to talk,” he said finally. “I want to get this off my chest now.”

“…Uh, okay?” Aqua sounded uncertain. “What brought this on?”

“Mostly about…a lot of things. Especially during our time down there in the dark realm,” Isa began, “I…I treated you so coldly when we first met. I only had finding Lea on my mind…I didn’t even think of after. Finding him was enough, then…we could figure it out from there.” He laced his fingers together, taking in a deep breath. “…Even if it meant using you as protection against the Heartless. Those were my thoughts at first. To be honest, I barely had an idea on what the hell I’m doing. From trying to find Lea, to surviving…it’s…different and out of my element. I was just taking things one step at a time. Or at most, took Lea’s direct route.” It was strange how the roles had reversed after their time down there. But some bits are still the same, really. “Lea had the right idea to get to know you – he’s right about one thing: we had to be together to survive. But I was just…iffy around you still. Lea took the time in attempting to get to know you. The two of us barely knew Ventus, yet…you do treasured the bonds you had with him, Terra and Eraqus. Funny, how we considered a boy we barely knew as a ‘friend’. It’s…strange like that.”

Isa’s shoulders slumped. “Though, we were soon sucked into that mirror world. Lea and I faced our own phantoms. And then yours. I just…went and accused you for not cherishing your friends as much. Rather, I thought you might have been lying, and only considered them as ‘classmates’ considering. We were just…ignorant of what really happened. It just…bothered me it that felt like you took your duty too seriously and didn’t leave room for your friends. Or you didn’t make time to make more friends than the two.” He sighed softly. He has to say it. “I’m…sorry. For accusing you like that back there. I was ignorant. But also sorry for the way I treated you back there.”

There. It’s out in the open. He had his eyes closed, leaning forward a bit. Waiting for her response.

He jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder. But it was gentle.

“It’s all right,” she told him. “Our situation wasn’t…ideal back then.” Isa looked to her as Aqua lowered her hand. “We were in the dark on Xehanort’s machinations. You had little idea of what’s going on.”

“Aqua…you can’t just…” Isa shook his head. She shouldn’t just excuse his actions back then.

“I know,” Aqua responded. “But…there was one thing I did realize back there.” She looked up. “After all, I just recently became a master back then. I didn’t have much experience yet. What I had been doing was emulating on what a Keyblade master should be. The…only master I knew was ours, Eraqus. Even when you got the title of it, it doesn’t make one a ‘true’ master. What makes one a ‘master’ is not only how skilled you are, with time and experience, but it’s also on how well you knew yourself.” Aqua lowered her head. “My own naivety, ignorance and the mindset we were taught…the three of us made mistakes back then. You weren’t the first to accuse me of it. Ven did as well. I wasn’t able to explain myself properly, and Terra…” She sighed, shoulders slumping. “Miscommunication at its finest. You know what they say about assumptions.”

Isa let it sink in, before humming. “…Yeah. It can make asses out of anyone.”

“And you’d be right,” Aqua nodded. “To be honest, I thought you and Lea were the ones who should be protected. I guess a part of me felt…protective. Maybe a part of me wanted to make it up to how I failed to protect Ven in the end. Though, I most likely end up smothering him too much.”

Isa looked over at her. “…You do realize you’re not his mom,” he pointed out.

…Aqua’s eyes went a little wider, and her face flushed. “Yeah. You’re right,” she said finally. Her face scrunches up. “Ugh…that’s an unpleasant thought. I’d rather go with ‘sister’ thanks.”

Isa gave a soft chuckle. “Right.”

Silence fell between them. But…it’s comfortable now. The same kind of silence he shares with Lea when they ran out of things to talk about. Isa looked back up at the stars, kicking his feet a little. His eyes searched a bit…before he noticed something. That formation…

_A larger hand gently lifting a smaller hand, to point at a star cluster. The larger hand gently helped the smaller hand trace the outline of it._

_He looked up at a man with short blue hair and amber eyes. The man gave a smile, looking back up and talking._

_A sense of wonder filled him, at whatever the man was saying…_

“…a? Isa?”

Isa jumped. “Huh?”

“Are you okay?” Aqua asked him. “You zoned out. You were also pointing at a constellation.”

Isa looked at his hand. It’s indeed pointing out a cluster. A familiar one. He lowered it. “…Oh,” he muttered.

“What’s wrong?”

Isa pursed his lips. That constellation…it stirred up an old memory…

“Nothing,” he muttered. “Just…an old memory.”

He just wanted to leave it at that. Didn’t want to think about…that man. How he just…

“…Well…all right,” Aqua said reluctantly. Isa nearly breathed a sigh of relief, but then says, “Though…you felt rather strongly about friendship. Is there a reason why?”

…Well. Shit.

Isa looked away, with his cheeks warm. “It’s…it’s dumb.”

“I won’t judge,” Aqua told him gently.

Isa’s eyes shifted at her, at her face. He glanced away, uneasy. Tch. Isn’t this childish? Unwilling to give more to the woman who told them bits of her own life, yet she barely knew a thing about them. They knew her enough by now…and it didn’t seem fair to not give anything to her. And that isn’t fair.

He took in a deep breath through his nose, puffed his cheeks and exhaled. “…You know of Lea and I being orphans, right?” He began.

“Yeah?”

Isa curled his legs in, having his arms over them. “…We were only eight when we became orphans,” he explained. “I had a mom and a dad…Lea only had his mom. My mother, Mera, had been sickly for as long as I could remember. And my father’s name is Argent.” He took a lock of his hair and played with it. “I got my hair color from him, and my eyes from my mom. Lea’s mother is named Mila. He has his hair and eye color from her. Weird that we both got colors that are considered a ‘recessive’ trait for our eyes, but that’s beside the point. We never knew his dad; he hadn’t been around since Lea was a baby. We weren’t sure if they had been abandoned or…something happened. His mom was able to raise him because Aerith and her mom helped her.” He looked up at the stars. “I was…young when he left. No explanation. If there was one, I was too young to remember what it was. He left on an adventure, and never came back. As the year went on, I saw how upset my mom was…and I grew to resent him for just…leaving us behind like that. So, I got sick of waiting, and at five years old, I had to ‘grow up’ to help my mom around the house.”

“…So, you had to grow up to help your mom…” Aqua muttered softly.

“Yeah. It was a year later when Lea and I met for the first time,” Isa explained. “He’s stubborn. The first time, I ignored him. I didn’t have time for games. Yet, he still came to me, chatting away on things that came to mind. I didn’t understand why he would talk to me, while the other children ignored me. Then, one day, the topic of ‘dads’ came up. What I had felt about my father just came…spilling out. My contempt, my…sadness. I just…” he sighed, shaking his head, “I just didn’t like the way how he had just exited our lives like that. Like we didn’t matter anymore.” He squeezed his knees a little. “Lea never knew his father…but, remarked that I was lucky to have one…and that I cared enough about him for his departure to affect me.”

He remembered how surprised he was at hearing that. And the sympathetic look Lea made at him. The emotions he had felt on his father’s departure, and the year of keeping it bottled up…something cracked, and his tears came pouring out. Lea looked panicked, before he gently embraced the crying boy.

Isa get himself out of memory lane, to continue the story, “After that, we started to hang around more. He looked happy to see me open up to him. Though…a part of me feared that Lea would leave me as well. Like my father. What sealed our friendship was me asking him why he wanted to be my friend. I had nothing, I didn’t seem like a child of an important person or anything. Why would that bright boy want to be friends with me. Did he pity me, or…” He gave a soft smile, shaking his head. “His response surprised me. ‘Because I wanted to’. He befriended me because he wanted to be my friend. It was just…so simple. Yet, it was also such a ‘Lea’ response too.”

Aqua hummed. “I can see that, actually,” she said. “He really is a sweet boy.”

“Well, he can be a bit of a crybaby,” Isa said. “I used to tease him about it…but, it shows that he cares. He’s a very caring person. Heh. So I wasn’t surprised to see him cheer up Ventus like that. Almost like he sensed Ventus’ loneliness. I got to know him pretty well. You can say he’s like a ‘sun’ to some people. He can be mischievous, sure, but he’s got a good heart. He can be impatient, and reckless at times…but when he sets his mind to something, he can become pretty stubborn. It can be endearing…but, other times, not so much.” The smile fell slightly on his face. “I got to know Lea’s mom in the two years. She’s beautiful. And a good friend to my mother, too. I learned a little more about him, from Aerith. She and her mom, Ifalna, helped raise Lea…so, the two of them are sort of like siblings. It was the happiest I’ve seen my mom. But…then…”

“…The incident?” Aqua asked.

Isa nodded. “I don’t remember much of it…but, it was pretty bad. It happened on the eve of Lea’s birthday, October 8th. The incident had many become orphans, including Aerith. We weren’t told anything but…” Isa lowered his legs. “I remember the pain of loss in losing my mom. And Lea’s mother…disappeared. No one knew where she went. Lea was as upset about her gone…Lea later told me that, before she disappeared, he made a promise to her to cherish the times he would make. The past doesn’t define a person, and the future is not known…but both aren’t important. What’s important is what’s happening in the present. He didn’t understand it at first – especially with what happened. He wanted to keep that promise, even though he misses her dearly. At that moment, I realized: I couldn’t leave him alone. I decided that my purpose was to be with him. For as long as I live. He was my only friend at the time…and I treasure my bond with him.”

Isa’s shoulders slumped a little. “It feels as though it was just the two of us, even though there are others.” He lightly scratched his cheek. “It’s…childish, and dumb, isn’t it?” He paused. Shook his head. “No. It’s just plain selfish. I thought I had to be Lea’s only friend. Lea’s allowed to have more friends, really. I was just being greedy.”

There was…nothing wrong with that. Right? To think you only had to be your friend’s only friend. But…at the end of the day, it wasn’t exactly…fair to Lea. He shouldn’t act so jealous or so smug about being that ‘one and only friend’ to Lea. Tch. How childish could he be?

His Phantom didn’t mention that, only taunting him about his desperation to find Subject X. He just wanted to help her…is it merely foreshadowing on how that desperation could…?

The thoughts he had earlier came back to him. If he and Lea had Nobodies, his body…his will…they would carry on that desire to find her. To the point he would do whatever he can to get whatever information from Xehanort. Whatever it takes. And if Lea’s Nobody decided to make new friends…what right did he have to be jealous? If he was the one who pushed him away? Or they pushed each other away, due to the lie they would be given, to become Xehanort’s vessels. His body could have very well become the ‘perfect’ one…

He blinked when he felt a hand on his head. His eyes shifted to Aqua. “It’s okay to be selfish,” she said gently. “Anyone could be, really. But…” she lowers her hand, “we should be mindful, of how that selfishness could hurt others. It’s what makes a human, human. I guess…in some way, I was selfish too.”

“You? Selfish?” Isa asked her, raising an eyebrow. He couldn’t picture her as that.

Aqua shrugged. “I thought I had nothing to lose. That I could keep Terra and Ven safe; until I realized I can’t always keep them safe. Sometimes, our good intentions could go awry, like what Lea said. It made me seem…condescending, even to Ven.”

Hm. It made her being lonely make more sense…

“…Well, if we ever find a way to get Ven’s heart back, and Terra from Xehanort…you three should have a talk,” Isa suggested. Aqua made a questioning noise. “You said you wanted to apologize to them, though technically you did with Ventus, but…you should do more. Actually have the three of you talk to each other. If the fight’s due to miscommunication, you should clear the air between you three. It won’t be like the ‘old days’ for you guys, but…well, a much-needed talk can be all it takes, really.”

He stared at Aqua as she hummed, thinking about it. She nodded. “I think you’re right,” she said. She smiled at him. “All the more reason for us to do our best, right?”

Isa noted it…before smiling back. “Yeah.”

-

Lea had watched them from behind the tree, listening to the two talk. He heard it all. Well, mostly from when Isa described the day they met, really. Even Isa had some insecurities, huh? Well, not that he’d blame him. Still…thinking that his only purpose was to stay by him…?

That has a lot of…implications, he thought, feeling his cheeks warm up.

It sounds a bit silly but…in another sense, Lea didn’t want that to be Isa’s main purpose. He’ll have to talk to Isa about that later.

He hadn’t thought about his mom in a while. While he’s relieved to know that Ven didn’t truly disappear, they still have no idea where Subject X was, or…or where his mom disappeared to. (She wouldn’t…leave him on purpose, would she?)

Lea shook his head. He shouldn’t think of that now, not when they had made progress in their recovery.

Remembering something, he looked down at the cooler bag that he had brought with him. He smiled. “Okay,” he muttered to himself. “Let’s go.”

“Okay,” his Chirithy nodded before they moved from behind the tree.

“Hey!” He called out, waving at them.

It got their attention, the two blue haired people looking at him. “Oh, you’re back,” Aqua said as he approached the left side of Aqua. “Finished with your errands?”

Errands? Lea mentally parroted before remembering. Oh yeah, that’s what he told Aqua before he left with Merlin. “Sort of,” he said as he carefully sat down. “Had to get something. They actually sold them in a world called Twilight Town.”

“Them?” Isa parroted as Lea zipped the bag open.

Lea grinned at them before pulling out three bars in a white covering. “Ta-dah! I did say we’re getting you to try some, Aqua!” He reminded her as his Chirithy dug into the bag itself.

Isa blinked in surprise at him. “You actual found some?” He asked him.

“Yup,” Lea nodded, before handing the bars to them. “We did make good progress on our recovery. Gotta celebrate.”

Isa blinked again before smirking. “I guess that’s true,” he said, taking his.

Aqua takes hers tentatively. She removes the covering, showing the sky-blue color of the popsicle. She looked over at it. “Huh.”

Lea had already opened his, grinning as he held it up. “Well, here’s to the road ahead.” Isa snorted, shaking his head before the two touched their ice creams. Like they’re clinking glasses in a toast. The two didn’t pull away but held them up expectantly.

Aqua blinked…before she perked. “Oh! Yeah,” she nodded, before she did the same.

Grinning, Lea pulled his arm back and took a bite.

Oh MAN. It has been so long. The slightly salty taste on the outside, and the sweet flavor underneath. Whoever invented this flavor is a genius. He had to suppress a moan of delight.

“Huh.” He glanced at Aqua, who stared down hers. Eyes wide a bit. “Slightly salty…but, sweet underneath.”

Lea grinned. “Pretty good, huh?” He asked as Aqua took a small bite.

“Mm-hm,” she nodded.

“At least the flavor’s still the same,” Isa mused.

“Yeah. I got some more for our Dream Eaters to share,” Lea looked back, seeing the Chirithys and Meow Wow eating theirs.

“That’s sweet of you,” Aqua remarked.

“Well…can’t leave them out, could I?” Lea shrugged. He looked out, seeing the setting sun. Absently, he brought it to his lips, nibbling a little.

“Something on your mind?” Isa’s voice had him blink, glancing at his friend. He was looking at him with a peculiar look.

Lea shook his head. “Nah. Not really,” he responded. “Just enjoying the moment.”

The moment…

Lea looked down at his ice cream before looking out. His mind wondered back to what he had seen.

…

 _“Wow…” Lea breathed out, staring up at the sky. Twilight Town sure is…something. A small town with a twilight hued sky over it._ ‘I need to get Isa and Aqua to see this place one day,’ _he thought. The sun set is beautiful. He smiled. There is someone he could share this moment with at least. “Hey, get out here, Chirithy.”_

_Lea’s Chirithy appeared in response. “Are you sure you want me to pop in like this?” He asked him._

_“Well, if anyone asks, I can say that you’re a gift for someone,” Lea responded, gently taking the Dream Eater in his arms. He looked around. “Okay…where’s that ice cream parlor…?”_

_“Merlin said it should be around the center, right?” Chirithy asked him. “We can head there.”_

_Lea nodded. “Gotcha,” he said. The wizard was at least kind enough to take him to this place, in order to get the ice cream bars to celebrate. He should hurry up and also find a cooling case to store them, so that they could last longer. They got the munny at least._

_Lea soon wondered around town a bit. The place is nice enough at least, with a few people out and about. No one batted an eye to a red-haired boy carrying a ‘doll’ around._

_A bell rang with Lea noticing. He looked around before spotting a large clock tower at the top of the town. Lea’s eyes lingered on it for a moment before he walked forward again. He hummed as he heard other sounds._ ‘I guess this can be considered lively,’ _he thought._

_After a bit of wondering around, he found a store that sells cooling cases, buying one of them. The cashier remarked on how adorable the doll is; Lea answered that it’s a gift for someone, before asking for directions to the ice cream parlor. She was kind enough to give him directions. He thanked her and soon left._

_He neared the area where the parlor is located at. “Well, let’s go get some and get back,” Lea said with a smile. He looked around for the store in question._

_He felt the Chirithy shift in his arms. “Hey, Lea?”_

_“Yeah?” He asked, not looking at him._

_“Um…do you have an older brother?” Lea blinked at the question._

_“No, why?” He answered. He felt Chirithy tug at his shirt, prompting him to look down._

_Chirithy pointed. “Then…who is that?”_

_Lea blinked and looked up._

_And saw him._

_Lea’s eyes were wide in shock. He nearly dropped his Chirithy, his arms becoming weak._

_Before the ice cream parlor is a man with spikey red hair. Red hair that’s the same shade as his. He wore a black coat as he seems to be buying something at the parlor. Next to him is a young boy with…dirty blonde hair. Styled like the wind had swept his hair. A very familiar style, also wearing a black coat. The male perked, and his head began to turn-_

_Lea did a take, quickly grabbing Chirithy and hiding behind something. He peered out, watching as the boy stared out with blue eyes, blinking in confusion. The man noted it, looking at the boy inquisitively. The two chatted a bit about something, with the boy pointing in the direction Lea was at. The man tilted his head before shrugging, making a gesture to the boy before they head off somewhere. The man had purple, upside down tear marks under his eyes. The eyes are green. A poisonous green color._

_Lea watched the two go in silence, before he emerged._

_“Lea?” He blinked, before looking down at his Chirithy, who looked at him in concern. “Are you okay?”_

_“Uh…” Lea muttered. That was…he didn’t expect to see_ him _, on this world of all places. But…to know of them is one thing…but it’s another to actually SEE him. And with someone who resembled Ven… Sora’s Nobody?_

_They…looked like they’re friends._

_Lea lowered his head. “…Yeah. Just…startled,” he answered. “Chirithy? Can you…keep this from Isa and Aqua? What we just saw?”_

_“Huh? Why?” Chirithy asked him, confused._

_“I didn’t want them to worry,” Lea answered, shaking his head. But…now this is awkward. He can’t let them know of his identity…_

_Humming, he pulled out his keffiyeh. He looked over at it before using it to cover his hair. This could work. Hopefully. Guess it’s good for something after all. “C’mon, let’s go get that ice cream,” Lea nodded to his Chirithy._

_“Yeah!” the Dream Eater nodded, before jumping into Lea’s arms._

_…_

“It’s melting.”

“Huh?” Lea blinked at Isa’s voice before looking at his ice cream. Indeed, it is. “Aw crap!” He yelped out, transferring it to the other hand and shaking it to get the melted bits off.

“What got you zoned out?” Isa asked him.

“Uh…just thinking ‘bout stuff,” Lea answered before taking a bite of his ice cream. It’s a little soft now, but he should hurry to get it all.

“Must have been a deep thought to have you not notice it melting,” Isa said drily.

Lea gave a bored look at his friend. “Ha-ha, you’re hilarious,” he responded, just as dry. He should change the subject. He hummed. “…Actually, how about we try to get to know each other a bit more?” He suggested. “I mean, since we got the time.”

Isa and Aqua glanced at each other. “Well…” Aqua smiled softly and slightly shook her head. “Why not?”

“Okay, I’ll go first…” Lea took a bite, thinking. “…What’s your favorite animal?”

Aqua hummed. “…Lizards.”

Lea wasn’t the only one who stared at her in surprise. “…Really?” Lea asked her.

“What? Just because I’m a girl doesn’t mean I should just like girly stuff,” Aqua said.

“Hm. Good point,” Lea nodded.

“My turn,” Aqua took a bite of her ice cream. “Favorite color?”

Lea had to think about it. “Uh…purple? No, wait, uh, green. Nah, uh…gold.”

“So it isn’t just one color?” Aqua asked him.

“Nah. It changes from time to time,” Lea responded. “We’re allowed to have more than one favorite color, right? Anyway, your turn Isa.”

Isa looked down at the stick. Finding nothing, he tosses it aside. “Favorite food?”

Aqua thought about it. “…Pork katsudon udon,” she answered.

“That’s interesting,” Lea remarked.

“My turn,” Aqua said. She looked to Isa. “Ah…favorite hobby?”

“Stargazing,” Isa answered.

“Interesting,” Aqua mused.

“Yeah,” Isa nodded. He pointed at a cluster of stars. “See that? That’s the ‘Omega’ Constellation. It’s based around a mythical mechanical being that’s searching forever for its target. Traveling through time and space. As the story goes anyway.”

“Oh yeah,” Lea mused, looking up. “I wonder if we could find that ‘Bomb’ constellation out there.”

“Maybe,” Isa responded. “Lea, you’re up.”

Lea hummed, taking another bite. He looked at Aqua. “Got a crush on someone?”

He watched as Aqua’s face took an interesting red color on her cheeks. “Uh…”

Lea sat up straight. “Wait. You actually got a crush on someone?”

“What? No! No. I-I don’t,” Aqua stuttered, her face flushed as her eyes shifted a bit.

Isa shared the same shit eating grin as him.

Aqua noticed it. “H-Hey! Don’t grin like that!” She huffed.

“So~?” Lea pressed. “Who was it?”

“Y-You can’t ask two questions,” Aqua retorted, waving her nearly finished ice cream at him. “It’s my turn!” She took a slightly larger bite- and winced. “Agh! Brain freeze!” She gently rubbed her temple a little.

Lea winced a little guiltily. “Uh…sorry,” he muttered.

“Apology accepted,” Aqua sighed. “Don’t ask that again, please.”

“Duly noted,” Lea muttered, eating his ice cream.

“Right. Back to this…” Aqua cleared her throat. “What’s your favorite food, Lea?”

Lea hummed, thinking about it. “…beef stroganoff.”

“Really?” Aqua asked him.

“Yeah. I’m a little bit of a carnivore,” Lea admitted. “So long as the food’s good and the meat cooked properly. Can’t stand dry meat. It’s like eating into a leather boot.”

“That I can agree with,” Isa spoke up. “Not unless it’s beef jerky.”

They spent a while, slowly getting to know each other through things like that. It’s nice. It lasted well into the night, the three of them knowing each other a little better now. The ice cream long since finished, they spent the rest of the evening stargazing. With Isa pointing out certain constellations, telling stories behind them. Though, it had gotten chilly, so they had to call it a night, returning to the tower. A couple of hours later, they turned in for the night.

…But Lea found himself unable to sleep. He lied on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. He ran through what he saw earlier through his head.

His replica, older and a man…and Sora’s Nobody, who does indeed resemble Ventus…

 _‘Are…are they friends?’_ Lea asked himself.

They seem…happy. Sora’s Nobody was only, what, a few days old at best? He’s…literally a ‘baby’ in a sense. Completely oblivious and ignorant to Xehanort’s plan. Including his replica. His replica is nine years old. If his Replica- no, Axel, believed the lie…what would he become?

And would he be…lonely? To believe he couldn’t feel a thing…?

What about Sora’s Nobody? Axel could be the only friend he has.

He thought back to what Yen Sid had said when they first arrived at the tower. Axel is to be among those sent to Castle Oblivion. It may be inevitable that they would run into each other.

…Though…he didn’t…want to hurt him. Defend himself, yes, but…he didn’t want to take a life.

But that would be a paradox, wouldn’t it? The Heartless were once people themselves – they ended up like that when their hearts fall into darkness. What happens to them when they’re destroyed? What about a Nobody?

…What about a replica?

Lea huffed through his nose, rolling over on his stomach. No matter how you put it, the Heartless, though once people themselves, would go after more people blindly. To satisfy their never-ending hunger and lust for hearts. On one hand, keeping them from multiplying would be a good idea…on the other, it could also release the people from the darkness that consumed them.

In a sense, they could be saved. But for how long? Lea doesn’t know.

The blanket crumpled a bit. Lea shifted his eyes to see his Chirithy climbing up. “Oh hey,” Lea greeted.

“Are you feeling all right?” The Chirithy asked him.

“Yeah. Just…” Lea flipped himself to look back up at the ceiling. “…Thinking about stuff.”

“Like the man who looks like an older you?” Lea blinked at him. The Chirithy scratched his head a bit. “I mean…he feels like you and looks like you. But he isn’t technically ‘you’, is he?”

Lea hummed at that.

“…No,” he agreed. “No he isn’t.”

He’s Lea. The other man is Axel. They are who they are.

Still…

He sighed. _‘Guess I gotta figure out what to do before we head there.’_

With everything that happened, and his experiences so far, he may need to come up with something. Lea does know one thing:

This will be a pain in the ass.

(Extra)

…

Wait.

Lea’s lips went flat as he realized something.

His Replica’s body shape…

He sat up. “Aw c’mon! I just stretch out?!” He complained. He crossed his arms. “That’s just bullshit.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I figured that it might be time for Isa and Aqua to have a talk since Lost in Darkness. Considering a few things, Isa wanted to address his own behavior towards Aqua and of his accusation against her. I try to keep this realistic as I could, with Isa realizing he was unfair to her, and that Aqua shouldn't excuse his behavior. It was at that time that they didn't know each other well for them to...do the things they did. Now that they do, Isa felt...yeah.
> 
> There was also a cameo of Roxas and Axel, the two oblivious to Lea seeing them. It's one thing to know of the existence of someone like Axel, but it's a different matter upon seeing it. After all, 'believe what you see not what you hear'. But if there's one thing these two morons share is the habit of keeping secrets to not worry their friends - but for different reasons. Lea genuinely didn't want them to worry; Axel is...a bit more selfish. Even if Axel has 'no heart', he's multifaceted like anyone else, and wears masks. Lea only saw the mask Roxas is seeing, leading to that conclusion. (But that will change later, all things considered.)
> 
> As for the backgrounds of Isa and Lea...from reading the wikis about the two, and the Character Story of Saix/Isa, I figured I could put in a couple of things that had them act the way they do. But put it like this, it made it seem like Isa had abandonment issues and fears people close to him leaving him; while Lea also had issues, fearing people disappearing on them. Yeesh. 
> 
> Isa's parents' names are based off of the theme around the moon. 'Mera' came from 'mirror', while 'Argent' came from argentum, a Latin word of a Proto-Indo-European word that means 'shiny' or 'white' - it's also used as the chemical name for 'silver', it being 'Ag'. Hence, 'silver' moon and a 'mirror' to reflect the light of the moon.
> 
> Lea's Mom's name is a female given name of Slavic origins. It contains the element 'mil' which means 'dear' and 'grace'. As for the dad...well, you'll know what happened with the guy soon. Don't worry. Final Fantasy VII gave a couple of nifty ideas for me to spin around for the universe of Kingdom Hearts. I hope I could utilize them to make it practically fit like a puzzle. But, we'll see. In which case...
> 
> Drop a comment on the chapter if you'd like. The last chapter will be focusing on a duo. Who they are? Well...stay tuned...


	5. Those in the Dark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A pair of men wondering lost for years. They then found the means to escape, unaware of what they had missed...and what they would become involved in.

_…No matter what…_

_I’ll come back to you two…_

_I promise._

Ocean waves can be heard.

The Dark Margin. Called that for it being on the border between the Realm of Darkness and the Realm Between. Organic looking rocks dotted the shores. A howling wind can be heard, even if there is no wind. The soft glow of the ‘moon’ shines down onto the shores.

Of course, those who had visited the beach calls it as that – it IS a literal margin between the Realm of Darkness and the Realm Between after all. And the Realm Between is the only thing that can connect the place naturally with the Realm of Light.

…If one has the means to escape, that is.

Someone soon steps up to the shores. They walked, until they’re near the water’s edge. The person is a man. A man with short brown hair. He looked to be in his mid to late 20s. His outfit once resembled a tunic with a pair of pants but…it has seen better days. Parts of it ragged and torn. As if something had tried to get at him. Many times. Something with long claws or even a blade. Or even teeth.

The man stared out at the soft moonlight, the waves rolling in and out. In a continuous loop.

Soon, another person steps up beside him. He seems a little older in his early thirties. He has a hood over his head and has more muscle on him than the other man. He has parts of armor on him, and a sword on his back. His outfit isn’t as ragged as the other, but it has some scratches and dents here and there. The cloth that makes up the hood has some holes in it.

“…End of the road?” The older man asked.

It took a moment for the younger man to answer. “Yup. Sure looks like it.”

The older man grunted. He removed his sword, before sticking it into the sand. He carefully sat down on the sand, lowering his hand from it. Always in reach, just in case. You may never know what could ambush you, even at these shores.

As they had both seen. For now though…

“We should rest,” the older man said to the other. “It’s been a long walk.”

The younger looked at him, then at the moonlight. He sighed. “Yeah…” He eased himself down, his arms over his knees.

Silence hang over them, even as the ‘wind’ blew and the waves rolling in and out. The younger man heaved a sigh, slumping forward a little. The older man noticed it. “Are you all right?”

“No. Just…I dunno,” he answered defeatedly.

The older man considered him. “…What is your name?”

“Hm?” The younger blinked his brown eyes at him.

“Your name,” the older repeated.

The younger man considered it. Why would he…? Oh. Right. He appreciates it. He nodded. “Quinn.”

“Good. You still remember your name,” the older man nodded. “What else do you remember?”

Quinn began to think about the question. Trying to dreg up memories. He had been down here for so long…most of his memories are either gone or…just buried in his heart, due to the darkness. He remembers his name, what he is…but everything else. It was tragic. Some would say those were better off not being remembered…but, they remind him of who he is.

And the reason he had lasted as long as he did.

Quinn looked out. “…I remember…my love. And the child we had. They’re the reason why I’m trying to find a way out of here.”

The ocean waves rolled. Quinn felt certain that the two are a reason why he’s still alive.

“…Do you remember their names?” The older man asked him softly.

Quinn nodded. “Yeah.”

“What are they?”

Quinn had a soft smile. “Mila. And our son, Lea.”

The older man nodded. “Good. You still remember. Your reason to escape.”

Quinn looked at him. “Do you remember your name?”

The older man nodded. “Argent.”

“How about your own family?”

“My wife, Mera. And our son, Isa.”

Quinn smiled. “Guess we both kept our minds intact. Thank goodness.”

The older man looked out at the shore. “Yeah…”

Silence befell the two men once more. Quinn looked up at the moon. “What do you think happened earlier?” The older man hummed curiously at him. “The worlds and such? The beach we were on earlier…I could tell that it wasn’t within this place for long…but the others? Longer.”

Argent knew what Quinn was referring to. Earlier, when they were near the mines near a cottage, Quinn suddenly felt…something. He tracked it to the dwarven cottage. He lingered there, before he sensed that it went further out. They had arrived at the area after going through a dense jungle. Most of the worlds had started to pop up after a while. Quinn had explained that they had ‘fallen’ into the dark realm. Their ‘hearts’ taken by the monsters that lurks within the dark realm. For what purpose, they don’t know. But since the visit to that woodland, Quinn had followed the ‘trail’ all the way to a forest of thorns. Almost to an…obsessive degree. The man had nearly gotten himself into danger more times than Argent could count. Muttering ‘he was here’ at certain places before he rushed off. Argent had to take out a particularly big dark monster before he had to set the man straight.

Quinn had rambled of how ‘he was here, he was just here’, until Argent had to hit him over the head. With his head cleared, Argent asked him to calmly explain what he was talking about. Quinn admitted to sensing something…similar to him. Argent had heard of a few things about a particular race of people who could just…sense things, and with Quinn’s proficiency in magic without a catalyst of a sort, it made Argent wonder if Quinn is a part of that race. He put it at the back of his mind to ask for more details. Quinn quietly admitted that he had sensed his son. His son, who he only saw as an infant – he was in the dark realm for some reason. There were two others, one of them had felt like Argent. Seemingly implying that someone else related to Argent is also down in the dark realm…his own son?

Argent had many questions, but he put them aside as he calmly told Quinn that it wouldn’t do anyone good if he gets himself killed trying to find his son. Not only that, the last time he had seen his boy, he was only an infant. He might not remember Quinn. Quinn knew that, but he so desperately wanted to meet his son. To know if he and Mila are okay. He misses them so much. Argent felt sympathetic; he missed his son and wife as well. He had a reason to leave. But he also knew that he would undoubtedly hurt them in this action. Yet, it would be better if he didn’t hurt them though…

(It didn’t change the fact he still left them, though. Even if he had his reason.)

(He had meant to return to them. Had been on his way, yet…)

Argent mentally shook his head, telling Quinn he understands. He missed his wife and son too. But again, it wouldn’t do them any good if they had died before meeting them. Reluctantly, Quinn agreed. They still tracked the trail all the way to a mountain near a castle in the distance…but the trail just…ended. From what Argent could see, something had clearly happened in the area. Yet Argent doubted that they had met their end around there.

Quinn had concentrated…and then lead them into the depths. They were startled when the entire place shook. Following the trail, facing off against the dark monsters, they ended up at the remains of an island. They didn’t take the time to look around, before a swarm of the smaller monsters came out of a small cave entrance. They knew not to underestimate the small swarm and fought against it as if their lives had depended on it (which is literal in a sense). After a long fight – including its deadly tornado phase that forced Argent to use his power – the two laid exhausted on the beach.

Something particular happened after though. The islands…returned to normal. The two men were surprised…stunned. It had been so long since they had seen the light. The rays of the sun. The blue skies. Even as the sky turned to night…Quinn knew.

The worlds are saved. The worlds that had fallen…are now returning to normal. Including the islands they’re lying on. The spores of light fell around them…and they soon fell into the darkness. As the island was being restored.

…And after what felt like hours, came upon the shores.

Argent returned to the present, shrugging. “Who knows? Something happened at the Realm of Light. That much is obvious. We never did solve who was controlling those monsters to make the worlds fall.”

Quinn hummed, nodding. His eyes shifted up to the moon. “…This is the ‘edge’ of this realm,” he spoke up. “Connected to the ‘edge’ of the ‘realm between’.”

Argent looked at him curiously. He had held in several questions, as their survival was more important at the time. But since they’re here…

“It’s strange that you seem to know that,” the man remarked. He tilted his head. “…Did the realm tell you?”

Interestingly, Quinn froze. “Uh…”

Looks like he had guessed right.

“Quinn, I don’t exactly care on what you are,” Argent told him. He pulled back his hood, scratching his head. He had gotten some stubble when he was away before he was banished to the realm by some maniac. “If you are what I think you are. I never met one personally, really. But I heard stories.”

“Ah…yes, well…” he cleared his throat. “My story is…long and boring.”

“I don’t have to hear it now,” Argent responded. “Though, I am curious of why you’re sent down here. From the looks of it…you were put down here not of your own volition.” Just like he was.

Quinn stared at him, before looking out. He sighed. “…I’ll say that…I was holding back someone, to let Mila get away with our son. They were after Mila, mostly for her power. Though, this time around…they got a new trick; they made a portal of darkness and…next thing I knew, I’m down here.”

Argent raised an eyebrow. “Why would this person be after her?”

“From what Mila told me, they’re trying to get power from the strongest Mages,” Quinn explained. “Not only that, they could take on the form of a man or woman with magic, so no one really knows what gender they are, or what they look like. Mila is the strongest fire mage out of everyone, gifted with talent. Those who are able to connect with Familiars are capable of using magic. And considering that I never needed to have a Familiar…”

“…I see,” Argent said softly. He hummed in thought, eyes narrowed. Something about it is…familiar…

He glanced at Quinn. “So how did Mila manage to avoid them?”

Quinn hummed. “She has a friend. We don’t know his species, but he’s got a connection to her and my race. We call him ‘Red’. She learned how to suppress her magical ability, and through my help, we remained undetected…” He frowned. “But, that changed when our son was born. He was only a few days old when it happened.”

Hm. Did this person become desperate enough to tap into that forbidden power to find her?

…This tugged at his memories…

_“I had spent eight years finding that wretch! I’m not going to let anyone stop me! Even you!”_

…Could it be…?

Surely, it can’t be a coincidence. Could it? If this is the same mage that sent Quinn down into this realm…and they had been searching for eight years…

A grim realization hits Argent. Two realizations. 1) This poor man had been down here longer than Argent has…

2) The person who sent him down there is the same one. And they were at Radiant Garden when he last saw them.

And if that mage was at Radiant Garden…

Argent felt his blood go cold.

No…

He was a fool.

Argent stood up quickly, grabbing his sword. Quinn blinked at him. “What’s wrong?”

“Quinn, we have to figure out a way to leave this place.” Argent looked at Quinn. “We don’t know how much time had passed while we were down in this godforsaken realm, but we need to leave. Your son…and perhaps my own, are most likely in danger.”

That got Quinn’s attention. “What?” He asked.

“If our sons were down here, something had happened…and if you’re unable to sense them, it’s more than likely that they’re either taken by those monsters…or, they managed to escape themselves,” Argent said. “If this is the ‘edge’ to the so called ‘Realm Between’, we need to find a way to get there.” He grips the hilt of his sword tightly. “We have to leave. I can’t stay down here any longer.”

Quinn slowly stood up. “Well, you’re right about that.” The man held out a hand. In a flash of light, a double headed staff appeared in his hand. He grasps it in both hands. “If our boys are in danger, we need to figure out how to get out.” He gave a sheepish smile. “The best I could do is pray for us to exit.” He joked.

Argent made a flat look to Quinn. He rolled his eyes, pulling his hood up to cover his head. “Well, we may have to try,” he muttered. “We have little idea, really.”

Quinn hummed. “…Well, I know I was joking,” he admitted before shrugging. “But! I’m gonna give it a try.”

“You’re kidding.” Argent deadpanned.

“Nope!” Quinn held onto the staff and closed his eyes.

They stood there for a few moments. Waiting. Argent planted his sword before him, resting his hand on top of its pommel. They waited. And waited.

After a long while, Argent sighed. “Quinn-”

He was cut off when the man began to glow softly. Argent stared in surprise at this. What…what was happening?

Quinn opened his eyes before looking at Argent’s sword. He points his staff at it…and the glow around Quinn transferred over to the sword. Once all of it went into the sword, Argent pulls out his word to look over at it. “What did you do?” He asked, intrigued.

“I simply transferred the power I got into your sword,” Quinn calmly explained. He looked sheepish, scratching his cheek. “Ah…I guess my prayer worked. We’re given the power to leave this place now.”

“Really now?” Argent looked over at the sword once more. If that’s true, why transfer the power into the sword? He could have made one himself, right? The man looked up at the waters. Then again, he isn’t sure on the limits of making a portal. Would it allow the both of them to exit? Or just one? Perhaps transferring it to the sword can allow the both of them to leave.

The man narrowed his eyes, determined. “I guess we’ll see,” he decided. He took his sword in both hands, steadying himself. He then raised his sword…and ‘pierces’ something in the air. Sharing a surprised, wide eyed look at each other, Argent looked back before he pulls it down… ‘cutting’ the air open. Soon enough, a portal formed before them.

“Huh. That worked,” Argent mused. Unexpected, but…it worked at least.

But could this portal really allow them to leave?

Argent looked at Quinn, who looked over at it. Well, they had gotten this far. May as well see where it leads. “Ready?” He asked the brown-haired man.

Quinn blinked at him. The question sank in before he nodded. “Mm!” The two put away their weapons before they walked through the portal.

Once they had stepped through, the portal had shut behind them. Leaving the beach alone once more.

The waves rolled in and out.

-

At a small forest, the birds chirped and sang their songs. It was very peaceful.

Suddenly they scattered- just as there was a ‘rip’ in the air. It was cut open…and two men walked out of it.

Once they stepped through, the portal closed behind them. The lost men looked around in awe. There was green all around them. Above them, the sky is in a sun set.

“…Is this…?” Argent breathed out.

Quinn looked around. Bells were heard in the distance. Quinn closed his eyes. Calling to the world. To hear its name. Soon, it responded:

_Twilight Town._

Quinn hummed. “Twilight Town. Interesting name,” he mused.

“Twilight Town?” Argent parroted.

Quinn looked at him. “It’s the name of this world,” he explained. “…Also, it told us that there’s a mansion nearby that we could use to lay low. Considering.”

Argent rolled his eyes a little, shaking his head…but, couldn’t argue with that. It’s best that they get adjusted to being back, and not in the dark realm. “Right. Let’s rest.”

The two men then set off to find the ‘mansion’ Quinn was told of.

**-End of Bridge 1: Time Between-**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so we came to an end of another part of this series I'm making. Sorry it was late, I forgot it was Wednesday and it was a late update. Whoops. 
> 
> Anyways, these two are a pair of original characters. The story around these two - how they ended up there and their journey in that place - will be explained in the future. To explain, I originally didn't plan on the two popping in at all. But when I watched the scene where Raven saved her daughter in RWBY Vol 2...this popped in for the Chain of Memories story. It was meant to be Isa's long lost dad saving him...but I'm not leaving Lea out, so I planted his dad in too.
> 
> I want to expand the world a bit more, and it amazes me of how you could build a world by adding in a couple of things that just...make it fit. I don't remember if I had mentioned this before but...still. The 'incident' that was frequently mentioned WILL be touched upon, and explained in the future. I can promise you that.
> 
> I wanted to play the long game about a few things, including what race Quinn - and by extension Lea - is, considering his powers and all. The only hint I could give is that they appeared in a Final Fantasy game. I won't say which one, however.
> 
> This story is short, with just five chapters. The Lost Trio had a limited time to train for the events of Castle Oblivion. They aren't truly prepared for what would happen - and neither are those that would be in the castle but that's beside the point. Just four days to go in the story...
> 
> With that being said, I'm going to work on Act 2 some more. I got an outline of a majority of ideas I want to put in. This will take time, and I may not be able to finish this series by the end of this year. But I WANT to finish a story. And it'll be worth it in the long run as I take time to plan out and flesh the story a lot. I'm no expert in story telling, but this is a story I'd like to share with others.
> 
> I hope everyone enjoyed this as much as they enjoyed Lost in Darkness. Sure there isn't a lot of comments and all, but what matters is that people have taken the time to read it. It may not be perfect but I'm glad you like the content. With that, I'll see you all later. Stay safe, stay healthy...and stay determined.


End file.
